Pro-BNP lawyers demand fresh SC Bar polls

Supreme Court lawyers scuffled over the bar election.

Jehangir Hussain

Pro-BNP lawyers on Sunday demanded resignation of Law Minister and Attorney General over police attack in Supreme Court and demanded fresh elections to the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) while pro-Awami League lawyers termed the election as fair.

The two groups made their comments at separate press briefings they called at the Supreme Court premises on Sunday.

Pro-BNP lawyers demanded fresh SCBA elections  under an acceptable election subcommittee. 

They also demanded resignation of Law Minister Anisul Huq and Attorney General AM Amin Uddin saying it on their instructions that the police  attacked lawyers and journalists on March 15 during the SCBA elections.

The lawyers placed their demands at a press conference organised by pro-BNP Bangladesh Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Oikya Panel at the South Hall.

The panel's candidate for president, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and secretary candidate Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal spoke at the press conference. 

Earlier, ruling Awami League-backed lawyers led by SCBA's newly elected President Md Momtaz Uddin Fakir and Secretary Md Abdun Nur Dulal described the polls as free and fair. 

The AL-backed lawyers blamed pro-BNP lawyer candidates AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Ruhul Quddus Kazal for the attack on the lawyers and  the vandalism during the polling on March 15. 

The newly elected SCBA president and secretary regretted the police attack on journalists. 

In the election, the pro-Awami League lawyers' panel Bangabandhu Awami Ainjibi Parishad won all the 14 executive posts of the SCBA. 

Meanwhile, a writ petition was filed on Sunday challenging the legality of the police attack on the lawyers and journalists during the SCBA elections. 

Barrister Kaiser Kamal filed the writ petition on behalf of the pro-BNP lawyers candidates.

Home Secretary, Law Secretary, Registrar General of Supreme Court, IG of Police, Dhaka Police Commissioner, DB Chief and OC of Shahbag police station have been made respondents. 

The election, marred by violence, saw clashes between Pro-AL lawyers and pro-BNP lawyers on both days. 

In the first day of voting on March 15 several journalists were injured after being assaulted by police while covering the annual SCBA election. 

According to the witnesses, police first entered the Shaheed Shafiur Rahman Auditorium to evacuate the pro-BNP lawyers who were demanding formation of a fresh election conducting committee under an "acceptable" authority.

Law enforcers attacked journalists when they were taking photos and videos of police action on that time, they added.

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