A total of 4,960 people secured bail after their petitions were heard by virtual courts across the country in three days from June 28 to July 2.

Hearing on 10,866 bail petitions were held virtually during the period, said Md Saifur Rahman, special officer of Bangladesh Supreme Court on Friday.

Read Also: Virtual Court Hearings: 6,542 people granted bail in 5 days

Court operation remained suspended since March 26 but trial proceedings through videoconference began on May 11 during the general holidays to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

A total of 49,750 accused, including 608 children, secured bail from virtual courts since May 11 while the courts heard 95,523 bail petitions.

Earlier on May 10, the High Court formed three benches for hearing urgent cases virtually and directed the subordinate courts concerned to hear cases related to emergency bail.

An ordinance was promulgated that day allowing courts to run trial proceedings through videoconference and other digital facilities. President Abdul Hamid promulgated the ordinance.

Later, the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs issued a gazette notification, saying that it will take immediate effect.

The Cabinet on May 7 cleared the draft of an ordinance to pave the way for courts to run trial proceedings through videoconference and other digital means.

Read Also: Virtual court a new chapter in law: Anisul

The High Court (HC) on Thursday published the complete order directing the government to nationalize jobs of 47,000  personnel village police across the country.

The HC also directed to pay Mohalladars and Dofadars of the village police under 20th and 19th grades respectively of the national pay scale announced in 2009.

The 18-page written copy was published on the Supreme Court website asking the authorities to provide the benefit to the village police since June 2 of 2011.

Appointments of village police who were appointed after June 2, 2011 without following the ‘Local government staff job policy 2011’, will be cancelled, the order said.

A bench of Justice Md Ashraful Kamal and Justice Rajik Al Jalil passed the order last year on December 15, 17 after hearing a rule.

The HC issued the rule on December 3, 2017 after a total of 355 Mohalladars and Dofadars of different unions filed a writ petition in this regard.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dwasa) to collect additional water tariff from its customers.

Chamber Judge of the Appellate Division, Justice Md Nuruzzaman passed the order that put a stay of 16 weeks on a High Court order directing the utility to refrain from collecting increased water tariff until Aug 10.

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam stood for WASA while Barrister Anik R Haque stood for the petitioner.

In light of the SC’s ruling, the WASA has no barrier to collect extra 25 percent tariff from its customers, said Advocate Tanvir Ahmed.

Earlier, on June 22, the HC issued an order, restricting Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Dwasa) from collecting increased water tariff until Aug 10.

Also read: HC stays Wasa’s price hike decision till Aug 10

Wasa's 25 percent hiked tariff has been in effect since April 1.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim's issued the embargo after holding a virtual hearing on a writ petition.

On June 15, Advocate Tanvir Ahmed filed a writ petition challenging Wasa's decision to hike tariff without improving its services.

On April 1, Wasa increased the 25 percent water tariff for residential users and 8 percent for commercial users.

With the application of the new tariff, a thousand liters of water would cost a residential customer Tk 14.46 taka, rising a shade under Tk 3 from the present Tk 11.57. The same amount for commercial users would, with its new tariff, cost Tk 40 from the existing Tk 37.4 for commercial users.

A Dhaka court on Sunday placed photojournalist Shafiqul Islam Kajol on a two-day remand in a case filed with Hazaribagh Police Station under the Digital Security Act.

Metropolitan Magistrate Debdash Chandra Adhikary passed the remand order after virtual hearing.

Kajol was produced before the court through videoconferencing.

Earlier, Sub-Inspector Mohammad Rassel Mollah of Detective Branch of Police and also investigation officer of the case, submitted the remand prayer.

The court also rejected a bail prayer submitted by defence lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua.

Usmin Ara Beli, a member of Bangladesh Jubo Mahila League's Central Committee, filed the case on March 10.

Later, Kajol was shown arrested in the case.

On June 23, A Dhaka court denied bail to photojournalist Kajol in a case filed with Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station under the Digital Security Act (DSA).

The journalist had gone missing on March 10, a day after the case was filed by the Awami League's Magura-1 MP Saifuzzaman Shikhor.

Two other cases were filed against  Shafiqul Islam Kajol with Kamrangirchar and Hazaribagh police stations under the DSA on March 10, 11.

Also read: Journalist Kajol lands in Jashore jail

After his 53-day disappearance, Kajol was detained by Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) at Benapole border in Jashore on May 3.

Detained on the charge of trespassing by BGB, Kajol was produced before Jashore court on May 3.

Although the court granted him bail in the case, he was sent to jail as Kotwali police brought another charge against Kajol under Section 54 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Also read: Photojournalist Kajol denied bail

A court on Friday sent two accused on a fresh three-day remand in Natore after hearing the case over the death of Dhaka University student Sumaiya.

Magistrate Mehedi Hasan granted three-day remand for Sumiya's husband Mostak Hossain and father-in-law Jakir Hossain, said Abdul Matin, investigation officer of Natore Police Station.

Police had requested the court for a seven-day remand.

On Thursday, police arrested Mostak and his father Jakir from Bogura and Rajshahi.

Sumaiya’s mother Nuzhat Sultana filed the case against four people after the death of her daughter on June 22. Later, police arrested Sumaiya’s mother-in-law and sister-in-law.

Police formed eight special teams to arrest the other accused.

Also read: Tragic end of a DU female student's dream being a BCS Cadre!

Sumaiya’s in-law’s used to torture her as she continued her study for being a BCS cadre, alleged Sumaiya’s family members.

They left her at Natore Sadar Hospital in unconscious condition on June 22 where she died. Sumaiya's mother claimed that they tortured her daughter to death.

Also read: DU student Sumaiya’s death: Accused husband, father-in-law held