E-Bailbond Launched in Eight More Districts to Ease Judicial Process

To reduce the suffering and delays faced by litigants in the judicial process, Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Adviser Dr Asif Nazrul on Wednesday inaugurated the e-Bailbond (e-Bailbond Management System) in eight additional districts across the country, replacing the conventional bail bond system after its initial rollout in Narayanganj.

On 21 January (Wednesday) morning, Dr Nazrul joined the programme virtually from the Secretariat via the Zoom platform and formally announced the launch of the e-Bailbond system in Manikganj, Bandarban, Meherpur, Joypurhat, Moulvibazar, Panchagarh, Jhalakathi and Sherpur districts.

The event was attended by Law Secretary Liaqat Ali Mollah, Attorney General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf, Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md Motaher Hossain, among others.

Speaking on the occasion, the law adviser said the software used for the e-Bailbond system—first introduced on a pilot basis in Narayanganj on 15 October last year—has been further upgraded following its 100 percent successful implementation. As part of a plan to roll out the service nationwide, the government aims to introduce e-Bailbond services in 20 to 25 districts within the next six months, with the ultimate goal of covering all 64 districts.

Responding to a question on whether future governments would continue the initiative, Dr Nazrul said, “Any future government will try to retain all initiatives except those that create political complications. This will not create any political problem. We hear that whoever comes to power will take steps against corruption and ensure good governance. We do not believe that any government would obstruct such initiatives.”

He explained that prior to the introduction of the e-Bailbond system, individuals often had to go through multiple steps to secure release even after bail was granted. “This caused unnecessary loss of time, money and mental distress for justice-seekers. In many cases, despite being granted bail, individuals had to remain in jail for several days or even weeks. There was a lack of transparency and accountability, and it was difficult to identify where delays were occurring,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Law, under the new system, once a judge signs the bail order, the bail bond is transmitted directly and automatically to the jail authorities. All unnecessary intermediary steps have been eliminated. As a result, detainees are now being released within a few hours or, at most, within a day. The system also records who signs and when, ensuring full transparency and accountability. Justice-seekers are relieved of unnecessary delays, financial burdens and mental suffering, while travel costs for accused persons and their families have been reduced. The government has also benefited from savings in avoidable prison-related expenses.

Attorney General Mohammad Arshadur Rouf said the existing bail bond process often created complications. “When someone is granted bail by the Supreme Court, the order has to go through the session judge and then be confirmed by the magistrate court. It has been observed that even after bail is granted, it takes three to four days for a person to be released, costing them a lot of money,” he said. He added that jail authorities often had to make phone calls to verify whether bail had been granted, which contributed to a growing lack of public confidence in the justice system. “With e-Bailbond, the process will become smooth and fast, and people will receive justice quickly,” he noted.

Inspector General of Prisons Brigadier General Syed Md Motaher Hossain said that under the online bail bond system, authorities are now able to complete all procedures and release accused persons within one to one-and-a-half hours. “Previously, we had to send staff to verify bail orders before implementation. That is no longer necessary,” he said. He also pointed out that delays caused by missing paperwork often forced jail authorities to keep detainees for one or two additional days even after bail was granted, leading to awkward situations when relatives demanded explanations at prison gates.

The prisons chief further acknowledged that the previous system left room for corruption—an issue that, he said, the new e-Bailbond system has significantly reduced.