Bangladesh’s chief justice says concerned about untoward incidents in Supreme, lower courts in country

The trouble-torn nation has seen a lawyers' group trying to assault a Supreme Court judge in an open courtroom and another lawyer get killed in the past two days.

Dhaka: Bangladesh’s Chief Justice Dr Syed Refaat Ahmed on Thursday said untoward incidents in the country's apex and lower courts deeply concerned him after a lawyers' group tried to assault a Supreme Court judge in an open courtroom and another lawyer was killed in the past two days.

In a rare such statement, Ahmed said he was “deeply concerned” about the recent incidents in the Supreme Court and events within judicial premises nationwide.

He said: “All developments are being closely monitored to ensure the judicial processes remain undisturbed despite the challenges”.

The chief justice said his office implemented 'comprehensive measures' within the Supreme Court as well as in district judgeships and magistracies to prevent a recurrence of such incidents and asked all courts and tribunals to continue their functions normally.

"Many problems have arisen at the courts in recent times. The Supreme Court is vigilant so that people can get services from the courts without any impediment,” read the statement issued by his office.

The chief justice also issued clear directives for all courts and tribunals to continue their functions normally, emphasising the judiciary's crucial role in serving the nation's greater interest.

On Wednesday, a group of lawyers stormed the courtroom and threw eggs at Justice Mohammad Ashraful Kamal as a hearing was underway, forcing him to abruptly end the session and leave with a fellow judge.

The lawyers alleged Kamal made "negative comments about late president Ziaur Rahman in a verdict" in 2016.

A protester in the courtroom said: “We have tolerated you for several years."

"As a judge, you have no right to conduct proceedings if you still hold such biased views," the protesting lawyer said while another threw an egg at him.

In a near-simultaneous incident, another lawyers' group confined High Court Division's Registrar Munshi Moshiar Rahman to his office for some time and removed his nameplate from the office saying he was an aide of the fascist government ousted in a student-led upsurge on August 5.

A government prosecutor was killed on November 26 after clashes erupted when supporters of Hindu spiritual leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari blocked the prison van carrying him to jail after his bail plea was rejected.

Das was arrested in a sedition case.

He was later denied bail by a court, triggering protests by community members in various locations, including the capital Dhaka and the port city of Chattogram.

In other developments, a sense of chaos visibly gripped the court premises in major Bangladesh cities while several leaders and close associates of deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party were attacked by mobs during their court appearances despite police escorts.