The unruly behaviour of a section of lawyers allegedly loyal to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party on court premises during the remand hearing of a number of leaders of the deposed Awami League is unacceptable. A section of lawyers and activists, allegedly loyal to the BNP, attacked former social welfare minister Dipu Moni and former sports and youth deputy minister Arif Khan Joy on August 20 when they were taken to court. Video footage shows and witnesses say that pro-BNP lawyers reached over a strong police escort to land blows on both the accused, arrested in a murder case filed with the Mohammadpur police. Some even tried to throw water on them. Besides, agitated lawyers shouted slogans, humiliating the Awami League leaders and demanding their execution. Pro-BNP lawyers are reported to have shouted such slogans inside the courtroom till the completion of the hearing and even made noise when the former deputy minister was about to say something in his defence, making it impossible for him to speak. What is also unacceptable is that there was no lawyer to defend the accused although one lawyer present in the courtroom later defended the accused.
A similar chaotic situation broke out on August 14 when Salman F Rahman, private industries and investment adviser to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and former law minister Anisul Huq were taken to a Dhaka court for a remand hearing in a murder case. Lawyers and activists, allegedly loyal to the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami, did not allow any lawyers to stand for the accused. Witnesses say that two lawyers came to represent them, but they were assaulted by the unruly lawyers and could not stand for the accused. Such unruly behaviour by lawyers on court premises is appalling. It stands in sharp contrast to the rule of law and violates the basic principles of law that assure the safety of and support for the accused. The accused has all the rights to safety and to have lawyers to defend them. Another disturbing picture has, meanwhile, evolved involving a section of BNP activists. Some BNP activists are reported to have been engaged in taking control of markets, bus stands and other areas and engaged in extortion and taking protection money from Awami League leaders and activists. All such happenings are a disservice to the spirit of the student-led mass uprising that toppled the Awami League regime, seeking to establish people鈥檚 democratic and human rights.
The interim government must protect rights of the accused Awami League leaders and activists and provide them with security. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party and other parties that were on the receiving end of legal harassment and police high-handedness and were denied rights just a couple of weeks ago must not follow the course that the authoritarian regime of Sheikh Hasina followed. The Bangladesh Nationalist Party must advise lawyers loyal to the party not to harass anyone on court premises. The party must also strongly act to stop extortion by its activists.