DHAKA, Jan 11, 2021 (BSS) – The Cabinet today approved the draft of
“the Civil Courts (Amendment) Bill, 2021” aiming to raise the
financial jurisdiction of the Judges of the lower court for disposal
of civil cases.
The approval came at the weekly cabinet meeting held at the
Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
She joined the meeting virtually from her official residence
Ganabhaban.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam briefed the reporters
emerging from the meeting. He said financial jurisdictions of the
civil courts were increased as per the amendment.
He said the higher threshold of the pecuniary jurisdiction was
increased at Taka 15 lakh instead of the existing Taka 2 lakh for an
assistant judge while Taka 25 lakh in place of Taka 4 lakh for a
senior assistant judge in case of trying civil suits, according to the
proposed law.
In case of hearing the appeals of the civil suits, the financial
jurisdiction was raised at Taka 5 crore instead of the existing Taka 5
lakh for a district judge, said the Cabinet Secretary.
If the proposed law is passed, an assistant judge can try civil
cases having asset value of maximum Taka 15 lakh each while a senior
assistant judge can try a civil suit having asset value of maximum
Taka 25 lakh.
Besides, a provision was incorporated in the proposed law to
transfer the appeals which are pending with the High Court against the
decree or order made by joint district judges in the civil suits
involving maximum Taka 5 crore to the district judge court.
The Cabinet also approved in principle a bill to establish
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Science and Technology University in
Pirojpur district.
“The proposed varsity will be a prototype one of the existing
science and technology universities. The President would be the
chancellor of the university,” said Khandker Anwarul Islam.
Moreover, the Cabinet ratified the Preferential Trade Agreement
signed between Bangladesh and Bhutan on December 6 last to boost
bilateral trade between the two countries.
The Cabinet also cancelled its previous decision taken on July 29,
2013 over increasing the number of trawlers in the exclusive economic
zone in the Bay of Bengal.