HC issues contempt rule against 9 Barishal lawyers over vandalism, remarks on judge

The High Court today issued a contempt of court rule against nine pro-BNP lawyers of Barishal, including District Bar Association’s President Sadiqur Rahman Linkon, for vandalising a courtroom and making derogatory remarks about its judge yesterday.

The pro-BNP lawyers vandalised the courtroom protesting the granting of bails to Awami League leaders and activists recently.

A case was filed against 12 lawyers by Barishal’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court’s bench assistant Rajib Majumdar, said Barishal Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam.

Following the filing of the case, Barishal Bar Association President Linkon was arrested in the morning and subsequently sent to jail on charges of vandalism in the courtroom and contempt of court.

In the HC rule, the bench asked the lawyers to explain in 10 days why a contempt of court proceedings should not be drawn against them and why they should not be punished for their act.

The other eight lawyers against whom the contempt of court rule was issued are Barishal Bar Association Secretary Mirza Riazul Islam; Public Prosecutors Abul Kalam Azad and Nazimuddin Panna; advocates Moshin Montu, Mizanur Rahman, Abdul Malek, Sayed, and Hafiz Uddin Bablu.

The bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Md Ashif Hasan issued the suo-moto (voluntary) rule after the Supreme Court registrar general’s office placed a letter describing the incident and an inquiry report by Barishal Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mir Md Amtajul Huq before the bench, Deputy Attorney General Mohammed Shafiqur Rahman told The Daily Star.

Earlier in the day, a team of Detective Branch (DB) of Barishal police arrested Advocate Linkon from the Bar Association office and later produced him before the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate SM Shariatullah.

Although his fellow lawyers sought bail for him, the court rejected Linkon’s bail petition and sent him to the District Judge’s Court lock-up, said the police commissioner.

Later, around 5:00pm, Linkon was taken to jail, said Al Mamun-ul-Islam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Kotwali Police Station.

Meanwhile, a group of SC lawyers today demonstrated on the Supreme Court Bar Association premises protesting the incident of vandalism in Barishal court.

Lawyers Chanchal Kumar Biswas, Subir Nandi Das, Cumar Debul Dey, Tamanna Ferdous, Ujjwal Hossain, Md Russel, Biplob Kumar Das and Aslam Miah, among others, spoke at the programme.

In Barishal, pro-BNP lawyers staged a demo following Linkon’s arrest today, resulting in a halt to court proceedings.

Activities of Barishal district courts have been hampered since Monday, as the pro-BNP lawyers have been staging demos since that day, protesting the bails of Awami League leaders and activists.

On Tuesday afternoon at around 2:40pm, a group of lawyers, led by Lincon, entered the courtroom of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, created chaos, and carried out vandalism.

A video clip of the incident went viral on social media.

Following the incident, a meeting was held involving the Barishal Metropolitan Sessions Judge, other judges and law enforcement officials, said court sources.

Later, a case was filed in this connection this morning against Linkon and 11 other lawyers.

On Monday, the district unit Awami League General Secretary and former lawmaker Talukder Mohammad Yunus got bail immediately after surrendering before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.

On February 17, a Barishal court granted bail to former MP Jebunnesa Afroz and two Awami League leaders.