The High Court (HC) on Monday rebuked 21 lawyers from Brahmanbaria Bar Association for chanting indecent slogans against the judge of the district Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal and hampering judicial functions on January 5 and 8.
While hearing a Suo Motu (on its own motion) rule the HC bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil said, “The words which you used [against the district judge] are so indecent. Even the coolies of the Kamalapur (railway station in Dhaka) don’t act like this. The entire lawyers’ community should be ashamed of your conduct.”
Earlier on January 10 this year the HC bench issued a rule asking the 21 lawyers of the Brahmanbaria Bar including its General Secretary to explain why contempt of court proceedings should not be initiated against them for their misconducts with the judge of the district Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal.
It also summoned the 21 lawyers directing them to appear before it on January 23 to explain their misconduct. Accordingly, the lawyers came to the HC and the HC bench held hearing on the issue on Monday.
The HC bench also warned them, saying this court could order the cancellation of the licences of the 21 lawyers for their indecent conduct. Later, the court ordered them to appear before it again on February 19 for an explanation of their roles.
The Chief Justice asked the HC bench to dispose of the matter after Brahmanbaria's District Judge Sharmin Nigar submitted an application describing the incidents of the 21 lawyers’ bringing out processions and chanting indecent slogans against the judge the district Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal on January 5 and 8 on the court premises.
In the application, Judge Sharmin Nigar said the indecent slogans have hampered the judicial process and threatened the people’s faith on the judicial institution.
Earlier on January 5, the same HC bench summoned the President of Brahmanbaria Bar Association and other two lawyers, directing them to appear before it on January 17 for shouting and creating chaos in the courtroom of the district Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal and for misbehaving and scolding its judge with abusive words on January 2.
Brhamanbaria Bar Association’s President Md Tanvir Bhuiyan, its Secretary (Administration) Md Akkas Ali and lawyer Zubayer Islam had been ordered to appear before the HC bench on January 17 to give explanations about their conduct.
Despite the HC ruling over the issue, some lawyers on January 5 and 8 chanted indecent slogans against District Judge Sharmin Nigar on the court premises which hampered judicial functions. In this circumstance, the District Judge sent a letter to the Registrar General of the SC seeking remedy over the issue.
