The High Court on Wednesday directed the government to report on the actions taken regarding the killing of assistant public prosecutor Saiful Islam Alif, who was hacked to death during a violent clash on the Chattogram court premises on Tuesday.
The confrontation broke out as followers of former International Society for Krishna Consciousness leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, now spokesperson for Bangladesh Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, clashed with law enforcers.
The violence erupted after a Chattogram metropolitan magistrate rejected Chinmoy鈥檚 bail plea and ordered to send him to jail.
The bench Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debasish Roy Chowdhury issued the directive verbally to attorney general Md Asaduzzaman, responding to lawyer Md Monir Uddin鈥檚 plea for judicial intervention.
Monir urged the court to ensure the arrest, fair investigation and prosecution of those responsible for his colleague鈥檚 death.
Monir Uddin also called for drastic measures, including a 15-day state of emergency in Dinajpur, Rangpur, and Chattogram, and a ban on ISKCON, which he alleged was involved in the killing.
He based his claims on media reports and said that the incident escalated following a statement from India鈥檚 Ministry of External Affairs.
Speaking to reporters, Monir said, 鈥業SKCON activists killed my colleague, as reported in newspapers. If ISKCON is not banned, their actions will spiral out of control.鈥�
He further claimed that tension between Muslims and Hindus could lead to broader communal violence.
Monir also accused ISKCON protesters of obstructing Chinmoy鈥檚 transfer to jail and suggested that India鈥檚 statement had provoked the violence.
鈥業n my personal opinion, my brother was killed due to this provocation,鈥� he added.
Attorney general Md Asaduzzaman briefed journalists later, clarifying that banning ISKCON is a government policy decision and beyond the High Court鈥檚 jurisdiction.
鈥楾he lawyer鈥檚 plea is premature. The court should wait for the government鈥檚 actions on this matter,鈥� he said.
He also noted that the government would investigate whether ISKCON is a licensed organisation and assured the court that steps would be taken following the inquiry.
The High Court is expected to hear the government鈥檚 response today.
A legal notice, meanwhile, was served on the government authorities seeking ban on the ISKCON following Section 18 of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 2009, calling it as an extremist organisation.聽聽聽
Lawyer Al Mamun Rasel, on behalf of his 10 clients鈥攚ho are all Supreme Court lawyers, served the notice to the secretaries of ministries of the law and the home and the inspector general of police through registered posts.