The High Court has summoned 21 lawyers of Brahmanbaria, including secretary of Brahmanbaria District Bar Association, to explain the allegation of contempt of court for chanting indecent slogans against the district judge during the court session.
The lawyers were asked to appear before the court on January 23 to explain the matter.
The HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil issued the order on Tuesday following a written complaint by Brahmanbaria District and Sessions Judge Sharmin Nigar.
The HC bench also issued a rule asking explanation why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against the lawyers involved in the incident.
Deputy Attorney General Tushar Kanti Roy appeared for the state.
Brahmanbaria District and Sessions Judge Sharmin Nigar sent a letter to the Supreme Court in this regard on January 9.
Earlier on January 5, lawyers of Brahmanbaria under Brahmanbaria District Bar Association staged demonstration and announced to boycott court activities demanding removal of two judges- district judge Sharmin Nigar and the tribunal judge Mohammad Faruk for aalleged ‘corruption’ and ‘misbehaviour’ with them.
Against this backdrop, the judicial activities of all courts of Brahmanbaria, including the district judge’s court and chief judicial court, were closed on that day.
Meanwhile on that day, the same HC bench summoned three lawyers on charge of misbehaving with judge of Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 in Brahmanbaria Mohammad Faruk. They were asked to appear before the court on January 17.
Those summoned are president of Brahmanbaria District Bar Association Advocate Md Tanvir Ahmed Bhuiyan, secretary (administration) of the association Advocate Md Akkas Ali and Advocate Zubair Islam.
The court also issued a rule questioning as to why punitive action will not be taken against them on contempt of court charge.
On January 4, judge of the Women and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 Mohammad Faruk sent a written complaint to the High Court to take action against those involved in the incident. Later, on the instructions of the Chief Justice, the Registrar General of the Supreme Court sent the written complaint of the judge to the HC bench.
On January 2, president of Brahmanbaria Bar Association Advocate Md Tanvir Ahmed Bhuiyan, secretary Advocate Md Akkas Ali and about 10-15 lawyers, including Zubair Islam, went to the court of Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal-1 for moving a case.
The lawyers requested the judge to hold hearing of the case, but the judge refused to hear the matter at his court. Protesting the judge’s refusal, the lawyers started shouting in the courtroom and scolded Mohammad Faruk. They rudely asked the judge to leave the courtroom. Advocate Tanvir hurled abusive words at the court, as per the complaint.
One of the policemen present at the courtroom videoed the incident which was attached to the complaint.