SC suspends regular lower court activities

The Supreme Court yesterday suspended the lower court proceedings, excluding hearing and disposing of urgent matters including bail applications, to avoid public gatherings at the court premises in order to prevent the risk of coronavirus outbreak.

Supreme Court Registrar General Md Akbar Ali issued a circular to this effect in line with the instruction from Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain.

Earlier in the day, the chief justice held a meeting with the judges of the Appellate Division and Law Minister Anisul Huq at his office to discuss running the judicial functions across the country in the present situation.

They decided to monitor the overall situation in coordination with the activities of other organs of the state, SC Spokesman Md Saifur Rahman told The Daily Star.

After the meeting, the law minister told reporters that the decision for limiting the lower court functions was taken in line with the World Health Organization's recommendation that prohibited gathering of people to tackle the spread of coronavirus.

Yesterday, Attorney General Mahbubey Alam also met the chief justice at his office to discuss the situation.

Contacted, Mahbubey Alam told The Daily Star that the chief justice will discuss with his colleagues about suspending the proceedings of the Appellate and High Court Divisions of the SC after March 29 when the divisions will reopen after its ongoing vacation.

On March 19, the SC administration has directed jail authorities not to produce under-trial prisoners before the lower courts during case proceedings till further order, as a precaution.