SC Summons 7 Pro-BNP Lawyers For Contempt Of Court

The Appellate Division on Wednesday (November 15) issued a notice asking seven pro-Bangladesh Nationalist Party lawyers to appear before the court on January 15 to explain why they shouldn’t be punished for contempt of the court.

A four judges bench chaired by chief justice Obaidul Hassan issued the notice on the  seven lawyers for holding demonstrations in the Supreme Court compound demanding removal of two Supreme Court judges.

The seven alleged contemnors are former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali, Fahima Nasrin Munni, Kayser Kamal, Md Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, and Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court asked  the seven lawyers again  not to hold rallies on courts’ compound following the High Court order passed by  the High Court bench of Justice Md Abdul Matin and Justice AFM Abdur Rahman on May 23, 2005, asking the then opposition Awami League-leaning lawyers not to hold rallies on the court premises.

The apex court also set  January  15 for passing further order on a petition filed by pro-Awami League lawyer Md Nazmul Huda on August 29 seeking a ruling on contempt of court against the  seven pro-BNP lawyers for holding demonstrations in the Supreme Court area demanding removal of two judges.

Pro-AL lawyers brought the contempt matter to the court while pro-BNP lawyers had been demonstrating in the Supreme Court Bar Association’s building to press home their demand to remove Appellate Division judges M Enayetur Rahim and Md Abu Zafor Siddique from the court.

They alleged that Enayetur Rahim termed the Supreme Court judges ‘oath-bound politicians’ at a National Mourning Day discussion on August 15, while Md Abu Zafor Siddique at the same discussion said, ‘Elections are held all over the world, and no one even looks at them. Why are all eyes on Bangladesh centring the elections?’ a demonstrator quoted him as saying.