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The online e-bail bond system has been introduced in 12 more districts to reduce the hassle faced by bail-granted accused persons and their families, bringing the service to a total of 28 districts across Bangladesh.
Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Md Asaduzzaman formally launched the service in the new districts at a programme held at the ministry’s conference room on Thursday.
The newly covered districts are Tangail, Kishoreganj, Munshiganj, Cox’s Bazar, Chandpur, Rangamati, Sirajganj, Bagerhat, Patuakhali, Habiganj, Thakurgaon and Jamalpur.
The minister said the conventional bail bond process involves 12 steps, while the e-bail bond system allows the entire process to be completed in just two steps. This will save time and reduce harassment related to bail procedures, he said.
Under the new system, lawyers will be able to submit bail bonds online using smartphones from their chambers or any other location. Applications will be verified and accepted instantly through a one-time password (OTP) authentication system.
The minister said the system would also save bail-granted accused persons and their relatives from making repeated visits to prisons, magistrate courts and district judge courts.
It is expected to improve transparency, accountability and efficiency in bail-related procedures, he added.
E-bail bonds were previously introduced in 16 districts. Around 120,000 e-bail bonds have been submitted online in those districts over the past few months, demonstrating the effectiveness of the system, according to the minister.
He said the government was also prioritising mediation and legal aid alongside e-bail bonds to make the justice system more people-friendly. Various initiatives are being implemented to reduce the number of cases and ensure their speedy disposal, he added.
The minister further said the government plans to encourage and reward officials in districts that achieve significant success in increasing case disposal rates and reducing case backlogs over the next year.
Secretary of the Law and Justice Division Liaquat Ali Molla, Additional Secretaries Md Khadem Ul Kayes and SM Ershadul Alam, and Director General of the National Legal Aid Services Organization Manzurul Hossain, among senior officials, attended the programme.