From now on, digitally laser book, cash book, loan disposal book of the bank and all the relevant documents will be considered as ‘evidence book’ in the law.
Therefore, on Saturday (November 27), the ‘Banker Evidence Book Bill-2021’ was passed in the Parliament repealing the colonial law to include digital transaction documents and documents as ‘Evidence Books’.
Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal proposed the bill in Parliament to repeal the law of 1891 and make a new law. If the bill is proposed to be passed, it is passed by voice vote.
Earlier, Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury sent the public opinion on the bill to the Verification and Selection Committee and disposed of the amendment proposals.
After the bill was tabled in Parliament on June 14, it was sent to the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Finance for scrutiny and report to Parliament.
Regarding the purpose and reasons of the bill, the Finance Minister said that in the current era of globalization, rapid development of banking and financial sector, ICT-based banking is now essential. Information on banking transactions through online banking and other electronic means is also being stored as soft copy on electronic data devices. As a result, instead of the Bankers’ Books Evidence Act-1891, it has become necessary to enact a new law in a timely manner.
The bill states that any bank official or employee disclosing customer information without a reason stated in the law will be liable to imprisonment for a maximum of three years and a fine of Tk 10 lakh. Provisions have been made that the offenses under this Act will be non-enforceable, bailable and compromising with the consent of the court.
The bill states that a court will not accept any offense under this Act without a written report from a police officer below the rank of sub-inspector. The bill specifies the permitted areas of disclosure of information and the jurisdiction of the courts.
