A group of Supreme Court lawyers demanded regular functioning of at least 35 virtual benches of the High Court for disposing of pending cases.
The lawyers raised the demand from a human chain formed on Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) premises in Dhaka on Sunday (April 11). The lawyers formed the human chain under the banner of Sadharon Ainjibi Oikya Parishad (General Lawyer Unity Council).
Convener of the platform and former SCBA secretary Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi also submitted a memorandum to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain in favour of the demand. In the memorandum, he also called upon the Chief Justice to run the regular activities of the lower courts across the country.
Advocate Mamun Mahbub, Advocate Rafiqul Haque Talukder Raza, Advocate Masud Rana and Advocate AR Rayhan took part in the human chain programme, among others.
Speaking there, Mehedi said that the constitutional court (higher court) can’t be stopped even during the lockdown. The court must continue functioning to ensure justice for the people and ease suffering of the litigants.
He also said that the Supreme Court has the capacity to run at least 35 virtual benches during the Covid-19 situation. It has been proved earlier. “So, we call upon the Chief Justice to run at least 35 virtual benches of the High Court and Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court to ease sufferings of people and dispose of thousands of pending cases,” he added.
Earlier, the authorities concerned had decided to run only four benches of the High Court during the lockdown.
Many lawyers said that functioning of the four virtual courts is not enough to deal with the huge number of pending cases. Thousands of lawyers and litigants are facing sufferings due to the absence of court functions.
SCBA Secretary Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajal said that not only four HC benches, all the benches of the High Court and Appellate divisions of the Supreme Court should function virtually to deal with the pending cases. He requested the Chief Justice to take initiative in this regard.
Earlier, President of Dhaka Bar Association Abdul Baten and General Secretary Khandaker Md Hazrat Ali sent a letter to Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, requesting him that the judicial proceedings of the lower court be kept open in physical presence of judges and lawyers in accordance with hygienic rules and as per some instructions during the strict restrictions announced by the government.
