The lower courts across the country have granted bail to 15,217 people, who were mostly in detention, in eight working days after the beginning of the virtual court functions during the ongoing countrywide lockdown. Among them, 167 accused are children.
Supreme Court spokesperson and High Court Division Special Officer Md Saifur Rahman confirmed the matter to the media on Friday. He said that the lower courts and tribunals across the country in eight working days from April 12 to April 22 disposed of a total of 26, 848 bail pleas and allowed bail to 15, 217 accused. Most of them, including the 167 children, have already been released from jails in different districts, he added.
The virtual court functions began on April 12 following enforcement of countrywide lockdown in order to deal with the urgent cases during the Covid-19 situation.
During the virtual hearing in the eight working days, the lower courts across the country granted bail to a total of 1,604 people on April 12, while 3,259 people were granted bail on April 13, a total of 2, 360 people on April 15, the lower courts in their virtual hearings granted bail to 1,842 people on April 18, a total of 1,635 people were granted bail on April 19, a total of 1,576 people on April 20, a total of 1,349 accused on April 21 and 1,592 people on April 22.
The regular activities of the court across the country including Appellate Division and High Court Division of the Supreme Court remained closed due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. Six benches of the High Court are running virtually during the Covid-19 pandemic. The lawyers demanded functioning of more other virtual benches to dispose of pending cases.
Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain had issued some directives for the courts about dealing with urgent cases through using information and communication technology during the ongoing closure.
Many said that the judiciary has taken a giant leap by running virtual courts across the country to hear urgent cases during Covid-19 pandemic.
