Move for court-detainee video conference

The government has taken a move to arrange video conferencing of detainees with the court in place of their personal presence during hearing of cases. The move came after militants snatched several detainees on February 23 when they were being taken to a court in Maymensingh district from Kashimpur Jail in Gazipur in a prison van. One police constable was killed in the attack of the militants. The home ministry has made a proposal on the video conferencing and the law ministry has recommended amendment to the relevant laws and given several others opinions on it after review. The home ministry’s Deputy Secretary (Prison) Salma Begum said: ‘The matter is at the initial stage. Opinions have been sought from the law ministry. They (law ministry) have made some recommendations on this matter.’ Salma said the matter will be put up for discussion after the state minister for home and home secretary returned home from overseas trips. She said a private company – Kajla Technologies Limited – has submitted a proposal on the video conferencing. The home ministry proposal made on April 17 says the presentation of detainees before the court delays the trial process and creates risk of detainees escaping. The proposal also highlighted the cost involving transport of detainees under police escort. After scrutiny, the law ministry has suggested changes to two laws -- Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), 1898 and Prisoners Act, 1894 -- for the video conferencing. CrPC provides for presentation of an accused before the court during every hearing. The law ministry says arrangements would not be consistent with the existing law unless the two statutes were amended, according to bdnews24.com.