Pro-BNP, AL-backed lawyers hold rally, counter-rally at SC

Bangladesh Jatiotabadi Ainjibi Forum, a body of pro-BNP lawyers, yesterday demanded immediate arrest and punishment of Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh for, what they said, slamming the judiciary and threatening to kill civil society members.

The BJAF leaders placed the demand at a meeting held at the main gate of the Supreme Court after they staged demonstration and formed a human chain in the afternoon.

Around a few hundred pro-BNP lawyers joined the events.

Jatiotabadi Ainjibi Forum President AJ Mohammad Ali, former SCBA secretaries AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Md Bodruddoza Badal, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, BJAF secretary general Kayser Kamal, its SC unit president Abdul Zabbar Bhuiyan and general secretary Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, among others, spoke at the programme.

Speaking at the event, AJ Mohammad Ali announced that demonstration programmes will be held at all the bar association premises in the country on Wednesday.

"He (Taposh) has scandalised the Supreme Court and he has to be brought to book," he said.

Meanwhile, Kayser Kamal said that Taposh's comment about the civil society was preplanned and a criminal offence.

Meanwhile, ruling Awami League backed lawyers' organisation -- Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad -- held a "peace meeting '' on the Supreme Court Bar Association office premises protesting the "anarchy" by pro-BNP lawyers.

SCBA secretary Md Abdun Nur Dulal led the programme.

Addressing the rally, he said, "We, Awami League, have the capacity to take down any finger that is pointed against Sheikh Hasina."

When the two groups of lawyers came face to face, they shouted slogans against each other, creating tension on the apex court premises. However, no untoward incident took place as additional law enforcers were deployed there.

On May 21, Taposh, also member secretary of Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad, at a programme at the SCBA said, "We had even taken down a chief justice."

"The civil society members, who want to preach to us, we will bundle them in a sack and throw them into the dark water of the Buriganga," he said in continuation of his speech.

On May 24, Amir-Ul-Islam, a veteran lawyer and one of the framers of the constitution, placed the comment, which was reported on a Bangla daily newspaper, before the SC for a decision.

Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, who was leading the SC bench, did not give any decision but said, "We will look into the matter."