Chaos outside CJ's courtroom Pro-BNP lawyers agitate against CJ for saying that lawyers not properly protecting good people; SC warns demonstrators

Chaos outside CJ's courtroom

Pro-BNP lawyers agitate against CJ for saying that lawyers not properly protecting good people; SC warns demonstrators

Pro-BNP lawyers head for a press conference at the Supreme Court Bar Association building yesterday morning after boycotting the chief justice's court.Photo: STARStaff Correspondent

The pro-BNP faction of Supreme Court Bar Association boycotted the chief justice's court, and staged a sit-in in front of the courtroom, creating tremendous chaos for one hour yesterday morning.
They demonstrated protesting the chief justice's recent remarks about lawyers, and the reconstitution of High Court benches by him.
Chief Justice ABM Khairul Haque recently said lawyers are not properly doing their job of protecting good people and resisting the evil ones.
The apex court led by the CJ discharged judicial functions yesterday amid the demonstration, and warned the demonstrators that it will take measures if such chaos is created on the SC premises in future.
It said the court could have removed the chaos within two minutes, but it did not do so because of its relationship with SCBA, and its concerns for that relationship.
It also said the dignity and prestige of the highest court must be maintained.
The SC issued a circular as well, asking all concerned to refrain from holding demonstrations on court premises that could hamper normal activities of courts, warning that appropriate legal actions will be taken if such activities take place.
Meanwhile, ruling Awami League backed lawyers also held a meeting yesterday on SCBA premises protesting the court-boycott of pro-BNP lawyers, and demanding that the association's president apologises to the chief justice.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam alleged, by creating chaos in front of the chief justice's court the pro-BNP lawyers violated the HC verdict which in 2005 had put restrictions on demonstrations on SC premises.
Around 50 pro-BNP lawyers led by SCBA President Khandker Mahbub Hossain and Secretary Bodruddoza Badal gathered near the door of the chief justice's courtroom at 9:00am.
There they staged the sit-in chanting slogans in support of the demonstration, and demanding resignation of Chief Justice Khairul Haque.
The three-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by the chief justice began its proceedings around 9:20am, when few hundred lawyers including some senior counsels were present.
The court solicited opinions from senior lawyers Mahmudul Islam, M Amir-Ul Islam and Abdul Baset Majumder regarding what it should do under the circumstances.
The lawyers said their demonstrating colleagues could have settled their grievances over reconstitution of the benches, if they had any, by discussing the matter with the chief justice.
During the demonstration, which ended at 10:00am, the agitating lawyers obstructed a few of their colleagues' entry to the courtroom and hurled expletives at them.
After the sit-in, Khandker Mahbub Hossain told reporters that they will take tougher programmes in the near future if they are provoked.
The chief justice's remarks are provoking and contemptuous, he said.
Attorney General Mahbubey Alam at a media briefing in his office said a faction of SCBA created chaos on the court premises to serve a certain quarter's purpose.
The quarter is unhappy with the chief justice, as he delivered verdicts in the cases relating to the fifth amendment of the constitution, declaration of independence, Bangabandhu killing, and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's previous residence in Dhaka Cantonment.
AL backed lawyers organised the meeting at the South Hall of SCBA in the afternoon, saying if the SCBA president does not apologise to the chief justice, they will not join the annual lunch which will be hosted by the association on February 3.
M Amir-Ul Islam, Rokanuddin Mahmud, Abdul Baset Majumder, Yusuf Hossain Humayun, and Munsurul Huq Chowdhury, among others, addressed the meeting.
SC Registrar M Ashraful Islam signed the circular in which the SC authorities called upon all concerned to refrain from holding any programme throughout the country that obstructs normal functioning of courts.
The highest court of the country is seeking sincere cooperation from all concerned in upholding the dignity and image of courts, it said.