5 lawyers placed on 3-day remand over clash during SCBA polls vote counting

A Dhaka court has granted a three-day remand for five lawyers over the clash during vote counting of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election early Friday.

On Saturday, the police sought a five-day remand when the accused were presented in court. 

After a hearing, Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ali Haider granted a three-day remand to each of them, said Sub Inspector Nizam Uddin Fakir of General Registration Branch of Shahbagh Police Station.

The accused are Supreme Court lawyers Kazi Bashir Ahmed, Tushar, Tariqul, Suman and Osman Chowdhury. 

Earlier in the day, the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested the lawyers in a case filed at Shahbagh Police Station.

The police detained Barrister Ruhul Kuddus Kazol, former SCBA general secretary and BNP-backed blue panel secretary candidate, from Paltan yesterday afternoon, a source from the detective branch told The Business Standard.

On Friday night, the police had launched a drive at the capital's Banani area to arrest the number one accused in the case.

DMP Additional Commissioner and DB Chief Mohammad Harun Or Rashid said, "No one is above the law, no matter how powerful they are. After the case was filed at Shahbagh Police Station, DB police arrested the five lawyers from different places in the capital, including Banani, after conducting a shadow investigation."

They are being interrogated in connection with violence at the country's highest court, said the DB chief.

"It doesn't matter which group of people were involved in the clash. All those who were involved in the crime, against whom the cases were filed, will be brought under the law," added Harun.

On 8 March, the counting of ballots for the 2024-25 session of the Supreme Court Bar Association election was halted a day after voting concluded, due to violent disruptions and turmoil among the lawyers vying for positions.

Later, Assistant Attorney General SR Siddique Saif filed the case naming 20 people and 20-30 others unnamed over the violence.

Independent candidate for the SCBA secretary post Advocate Nahid Sultana Juthi, wife of Jubo League leader Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, and BNP-backed blue panel secretary candidate Barrister Ruhul Kuddus were among the accused in the case.

At least seven people were injured in the clash.