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Published : 21 May 2025, 01:36 AM
A group of lawyers from the Dhaka Bar Association has demanded that a judge be brought to justice over the release of a courtroom video.
Speaking at a press conference at the Dhaka Bar Association Building on Tuesday, Khorshed Alam, convenor of the Dhaka Bar Unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Lawyers Forum, said: “The video that has spread is incomplete. Only a part of it has been circulated.
“The judge said mobile phones should be turned off in the courtroom. Yet, he himself went against that, recording a video clip and spreading it. This is a heinous act. I am drawing the attention of the chief justice to bring the judge to justice.”
The media briefing followed allegations of “slander and negative publicity” against lawyers.
Dhaka Bar Association President Khorshed said, "We lawyers have been trying to maintain good relations between the Bar Association and the bench.
“The Bangladesh Judicial Service Association, however, has made aggressive statements similar to those of a political organisation.”
A suspect in an attempted murder case, named Hanif Member, surrendered to the court on May 12 and applied for bail filed with the Keraniganj police.
The court rejected the bail plea and ordered his detention. Later, on May 15, his lawyer filed another bail application.
Following a hearing on May 17, some lawyers verbally abused the judge, calling him an “agent of the Awami League” for denying the bail request.
A video clip of the incident went viral on social media. On May 18, the Bangladesh Nationalist Lawyers Forum issued a show-cause notice to four pro-BNP lawyers.
They are - Khorshed, Advocate Abdul Khalek, joint general secretary of the forum's central committee, Md Javed, primary members of the forum's Dhaka Bar Unit, and Advocate SM Elias Howlader.
The Bangladesh Judicial Service Association (BJSA), in a statement on Monday, gave a three-day deadline for the lawyers who confronted the judge.
The organisation warned judicial officials of a strict programme if exemplary legal action is not taken against them, including revoking the certificates of those directly involved in the incident.
The statement signed by BJSA President Md Amirul Islam and Secretary General Muhammad Mazharul Islam said, “It’s not only that a judge was insulted in the incident, but it has shaken the foundation of the independent judiciary of the entire country.
“Creating chaos in the courtroom, threatening and insulting judges, and using illegal force in judicial proceedings are punishable crimes under the Penal Code."
The BJSA statement said, “The malicious attempt to bypass the judicial authority and obtain orders in one’s favour by using force and political influence is a clear attack on the independence, impartiality, and discipline of the judiciary.
“The BJSA sees insulting the judge as a malicious attempt to plot against the independent judiciary.”
