Lawyers appeal for making black coats optional in summer

Lawyers have placed a request to the bar council to make wearing black coats optional during summer considering various health risks due to the intense heat.

A group of 20 lawyers from all over the country sent an application to the Vice Chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council in this regard on Thursday (11 May).

The lawyers said, "Bangladesh is a hot and humid country. Despite having to endure mental and physical strains due to the extremely hot weather, lawyers across the country have been carrying out their professional duties."

This attire can be avoided throughout March to October of the year to protect lawyers from health issues, like heatstroke, during summer, they said.

"The black coat is mainly a winter uniform. So, it is better to avoid such clothing in summer," reads the statement.

In recent years, the statement said, many experienced lawyers have fallen ill and in many cases, died of heat stroke because of wearing black coats. 

Shafiul Alam, an experienced member of the Dhaka Bar Association, died Thursday (11 May) at the age of 44, leaving behind 2 children, the application mentioned.

Quoting Dhaka National Medical College Hospital doctors, Dhaka Bar Association Treasurer Nur Hossain told TBS that the lawyer died from a heat stroke.  

Witness lawyer Md Osman Ghani said Shafiul Alam was heading back to the chamber after a court hearing this afternoon when he suddenly collapsed in front of the Metropolitan Bar Association.

The lawyers present at the scene immediately rushed him to the Dhaka Bar Association Medical Center. 

As his condition deteriorated, they urgently transferred him to Dhaka National Medical College Hospital, where the on duty doctors pronounced him dead.

Even though lawyers often suffer from various health problems caused by the extreme hot weather conditions, they continue to engage in this service. So it is quite clear their health is being compromised, it added.

"Many lawyers even skipped court days to avoid having to wear the black coat. The issue needs to be solved urgently," the lawyers said.