A Bill was passed in Jatiya Sangsad on Wednesday empowering courts to run trial proceedings through videoconferencing and other digital means, reports UNB.
Law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Anisul Huq, tabled the 'Adalat Kartik Tathya Projukti Byabohar Bill 2020' in the House. It was passed by voice vote.
This law is already promulgated by the president to reduce the piling of cases in the courts during the general holidays enforced for controlling coronavirus as ordinance as parliament was not in session.
The ordinance was approved by the cabinet on 7 May where the country was in general holidays since 27 March.
According to the previous law, the trial proceedings are run in physical presence of judges, counsels and witnesses in the court.
By this ordinance, it was possible to run the proceedings during the COVID-19 period when social distancing was a must.
It was possible for the judges to run the trial proceedings of the cases through videoconferences and other digital means keeping the accused in jails, the lawyers in their residences and the witnesses in other places during the novel coronavirus pandemic.