Payment of fines by convicts
Amendment to jail code in the offing
MUHAMMAD YEASIN
Henceforth, convicted prisoners will not have to suffer while paying fines imposed by the courts. The Supreme Court (SC) has paved the way for the prisoners to give the chalan copy to the jail authorities. The prisoners had to face difficulties because of the long-drawn procedure. At a full court meeting on September 8, the SC approved a proposal in this regard. The Supreme Courts Registrar General, Syed Aminul Islam, said they will soon issue a circular in this regard. Earlier, the Supreme Court authorities formed a five-member committee, headed by High Court Registrar Abu Syed Delzar Hossain, to find out an easy way for the prisoners to pay the fine. The apex court formed the committee following a letter sent by the Inspector General of Prisons and Kashimpur jail super requesting the Supreme Court authorities to bring an amendment to the jail code so that prisoners can get some relief during deposition of the fine money.
Section 533 of the Bangladesh Jail Code says: The Senior Superintendent/Superintendent or a Jailer is not authorized to receive fines offered at the Jail and will refer any persons tendering them to the court which imposed the fine; or, in sessions cases, to the Magistrate of the District where the fine was imposed.
The IG Prisons, in his letter, said that normally convicted prisoners used to pay the fine during the end period of their sentences. But it is more difficult for the relatives of the prisoners to pay the money due to the long procedural system.
At first, the relatives of the prisoners have to go to the jail authorities, then the jail authorities send them to the court concerned, after which lawyers move the court for its approval. After getting the courts order, the relatives have to pay the money to the bank and the jail authorities will release the prisoners after completing all formalities, the letter explained.
In some cases, prisoners have to languish in jail for an extra period for not paying the fine. This pushed the prisoners to more suffering, and the government had to bear additional cost in jail. Considering all aspects, the provision for paying the fine should be amended, the letter requested.
After scrutinizing relevant documents and taking the opinion of stakeholders, the five-member committee placed their recommendation before the Supreme Court, saying that the prisoners can give the bank-chalan copy to the jail authorities after depositing their fine money at the bank. There is no need for the prisoners to take permission from the jail authorities or from the court during the end period of their imprisonment. The first order of the court is enough for the prisoners to pay the fine and there is no need to take permission from the court for the second time, as per the recommendation made by the five-member committee.
The registrar general of the Supreme Court, Syed Aminul Islam, said the Supreme Court agreed in principle with the proposal. We are working in accordance with the full-court meetings observations. We will issue a circular in this regard today, as most of the work has been finalised, he said. However, he declined to make any comment on the procedure to be adopted.
