Dhaka – The lawyers both loyal to the ruling Awami League and opposition BNP-Jamaat held separate protest meetings and brought out processions on the Supreme Court premises chanting slogans against each other over the ongoing countrywide blockade that virtually stalled the regular sittings of courts.Awami League-backed lawyers led by Abdul Baset Majumder, a former SCBA president, held the protest meeting in front of the SC Bar building while BNP–Jamaat loyalist lawyers led by SCBA secretary Barrister Mahbubuddin Khokon at the upstair gangway between the Bar and the court buildings.
The pro-Awami League lawyers urged the judges of both the High Court and the Appellate Divisions of the Supreme Court to conduct the judicial functions during blockade hours.
They described the current opposition agitation programme like hurling bombs and making arson attacks in the name of politics as terror activities, punishable under tribunals.
Among others, Awami League presidium member Yusuf Hossain Humayun, former SCBA secretaries Bashir Ahmed, AM Amin Uddin and SM Razaul Karim, Rabiul Alam Budu, Hosne Ara Babli, Mohammad Shahidullah, government law officers Eqramul Huq Tutul, Khandker Diliruzzaman, Biswajit Debnath, Amatul Karim, Protikar Chakma and Abdur Rouf Montu spoke at the meeting .
Meanwhile, the opposition pro BNP-Jamaat lawyers demanded immediate resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina terming her premiership the number one problem of the country.
They were critical of joining government law officers engaged in political activities which is illegal according to their professional conduct. They warned the government law officers saying if it repeats in the future they would be resisted.
The protest meeting was addressed, among others, by Zainul Abedin, Taimur Alam Khandker, Zamil Akhtar Elahi, Arifa Jasmine Nahin , Ragib Rouf Chowdhury, Mirza Al Mahmud and Gazi Quamrul Islam Sajol. – UNB
