Bangladesh courts to conduct proceedings via video conferencing

Bangladesh has issued an ordinance to conduct court proceedings through video conferencing and other digital media in view of the restrictions imposed to curb the spread of coronavirus.

The Legislative and Parliamentary Affairs Division gazetted the ordinance on Saturday after the cabinet approved it on Thursday, the Bdnews24.com reported.

The ordinance has given the courts powers to use information technology for the virtual presence of the parties in trial, inquiry, hearing, testimony, argument, order and judgment, irrespective of what other criminal and civil laws state.

The other rules of court proceedings will remain unchanged. The Supreme Court's Appellate Division or sometimes the High Court Division can issue special or general directives on practice, the news portal said.

According to the existing law, the plaintiffs, defendants and their legal counsels must attend the court proceedings physically to run a trial.

But like many other countries, Bangladesh has enforced a lockdown since March 26 closing all government and private offices, courts and banning mass gatherings.

The Supreme Court later asked the government to introduce information technology to conduct proceedings.

Bangladesh has so far reported nearly 14,000 positive cases while the death toll is 214.

Amid the surging new coronavirus cases, the government has extended closure until May 16.