The virtual court system launched by the Supreme Court is completely temporary, and any problems encountered will be brought to the attention of the Chief Justice, Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal said on Wednesday.
Speaking at a briefing at his office on the first day of the two-day virtual court experiment, the attorney general said the system became effective from Wednesday, with proceedings scheduled for Wednesdays and Thursdays in light of the global energy situation.
“If any problem arises, I will inform the Chief Justice. Again, if we become accustomed to it, I will also say that. This system is completely temporary. Later, the apex court will return to regular court proceedings,” he said.
“It seemed to me that today’s virtual proceedings in the Appellate Division were more dynamic than the previous day. I have not felt any problems yet,” the Attorney General added.
He noted that the conduct of the court is completely specified by the Chief Justice of Bangladesh, from court procedures to the division of responsibilities among judges.
“The Chief Justice thought that virtual court for two days a week would be convenient, and he acted on that consideration. I have no hesitation in saying that on 7 April, he called us (including the bar president and secretary) and discussed the virtual court,” Kazal said.
The Attorney General said the decision was made from a positive perspective, as holding virtual court for two days would somewhat reduce pressure on fuel.
Earlier, on 20 April, the Supreme Court administration issued a notification stating that considering the current global energy situation, virtual courts would be conducted in both divisions of the Supreme Court every Wednesday and Thursday, following the Information Technology Use by Courts Act-2020 and the issued practice direction.
Court proceedings will be conducted through physical presence from Sunday to Tuesday, the notification added.
