President urges judiciary to bring dynamism in case management
President M Abdul Hamid on Saturday urged all concerned in the judiciary to bring dynamism in case management by using all facilities of the information technology (IT), as he virtually addressed “Bangladesh Supreme Court Day-2021” discussion in Dhaka.
“Carry out court proceedings digitally in all courts countrywide . . . It will bring revolutionary changes in the judiciary,” the President said in the function on the Supreme Court premises, joining virtually from the Bangabhaban this evening.
Referring to the digital processing in court’ activities, he said, “Since the Supreme Court is a Court of Record, it is necessary to take initiatives to convert all its documents into digital documents and also to make arrangements to digitally preserve all its documents and all other activities from the filing of cases to the pronouncement of verdicts,” he added.
He said online cause list has already been introduced in the Supreme Court and the online bell confirmation system is also working effectively.
Terming the judicial process as a very tough one, the President urged the judges to work hard more to reduce the number of pending cases which are the causes of the untold sufferings to the litigants.
He also called upon the judges to take care of the litigants’ rights so that they do not have to roam in the court’s corridor day after day to get a copy of the judgement after the verdict of the case.
The President said, "The government firmly believes in the independence of the judiciary and is making sincere efforts to increase the facilities of judges."
He categorically said the government is very sincere in modernizing the judiciary by taking up the task of implementing e-judiciary project to achieve the goal.
Abdul Hamid said that after the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the anti-liberation forces tried to kill democracy forever by imposing martial law in the country in many ways.
“But the Supreme Court of Bangladesh has established the democratic rights of the country’s people by declaring the 5th and 7th amendments to the constitution illegal,” Hamid mentioned, adding, since its journey on 16 December 1972, the apex court is working to protect the basic human rights, establish the rule of law and provide justice to the litigants within the shortest possible time.
Jatiya Sangsad (JS) speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury, chief justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, law, justice and parliamentary affairs minister Anisul Huq, Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association president and chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, Supreme Court Bar Council vice-chairman Muhammad Yusuf Hussain Humayun and Judges Committee chairman and Appellate Division judge Obaidul Hasan also spoke on the occasion.
Mentioning that Bangladesh Supreme Court is playing a dignified role as the guardian and protector of the constitution during peace and crisis, the president said the SC did not allow the conspirators to implement the blueprint of sustaining the anti-constitutional Indemnity Ordinance and at the end, the SC has fulfilled its constitutional duty by prosecuting the killers of the Father of the Nation.
Noting that the whole nation is somehow free from that stigma today, Hamid said the Supreme Court has upheld the basic human rights and the constitution by discharging the responsibilities entrusted to it at the time of national crisis.
The president gratefully recalled the fearless judges and expert lawyers of the Supreme Court who did not bow down at gunpoint and sell their conscience in the greater interest of judicially and people.
Abdul Hamid thanked the judiciary for playing an important role in ensuring justice for the people seeking justice in the higher and lower courts by conducting trial process in a virtual manner.
Referring to the country’s ongoing development progress, the president said, “Bangladesh is now a role model of development . . . A joint-effort of all, including people involved in the judiciary, is a must to continue the development trend and build a happy and prosperous Bangladesh,“
The people expect that the judges will ensure the rule of law and justice through the exercise of their talents and thoughts as they are accountable to the country, its people and the constitution, president Hamid mentioned.
On the occasion, the president unveiled a cover of a book containing pictures of the Bangladesh Supreme Court’s establishment.