The decision came from an emergency meeting of the SCBA at the Bar Hall yesterday where the leading lawyers alleged that the contempt case was filed on "advice of a troika of ministers".

In a resolution, the meeting strongly condemned the filing of the contempt of court case against 11 lawyers including SCBA Secretary AM Amin Uddin.

It said the alliance government is hatching conspiracy to make the highest judiciary controversial and create division among the lawyers.

Reaffirming the lawyers' longstanding struggle for establishing democracy, the rule of law, independence of the judiciary, proper implementation of the Supreme Court directives on separation of the judiciary and upholding the image of the apex court, the meeting noted that the case was filed to impede the ongoing lawyers' movement.

The meeting urged people to remain alert about the "conspiracy" of the alliance government.

Senior Bar member Yousuf Hossain Humayun presided over the meeting. Most of the lawyers facing the contempt charge, which is likely come up for hearing today before a High Court division bench, were present at the meeting.

The petition for drawing contempt proceedings against the lawyers for "violating court orders" was filed on Thursday by a lawyer who had secured the ban on the June 11 Dhaka siege programme enforced by the Awami Leagueled 14-party opposition combine, hours before it kicked off.