Govt committed criminal offence by shooting quota reform protesters: Supreme Court lawyers
By what right, under what law are they [students] being picked up by block raids? We condemn it,” ZI Khan Panna, noted Supreme Court lawyer and chairperson of Ain O Salish Kendra, said on the occasion.
The government has committed criminal offences by firing shots on quota reform protesters during the recent unrest, Supreme Court lawyers said today (29 July), demanding trial on the matter.
Speaking at a human chain programme on the court premises today, they condemned the killing of students and others during the quota reform protest.
"I have never seen so many students killed because of a completely non-political demand since the Pakistan regime. By what right, under what law are they [students] being picked up by block raids? We condemn it," ZI Khan Panna, noted Supreme Court lawyer and chairperson of Ain O Salish Kendra, said on the occasion.
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"In every step, the government is violating the constitution obtained by sacrificing blood," he added.
Criticising the Detective Branch for taking protest coordinators into custody citing 'security reasons', the senior lawyer said, "The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has guidelines. Six coordinators were detained defying that direction. They are being made to give statements. You will have to answer for it one day."
Also speaking on the occasion, senior lawyer Barrister Sara Hossain expressed sorrow for those killed during the quota reform protests.
"We want to know where, by whom, how many were killed. Even now, thousands of students and common people are facing mass arrests. I have heard they are not being granted bail," she said.
Senior Lawyer Tabarak Hossain said when the students were peacefully protesting to push home a demand, a minister ordered a student organisation to take steps against the protesters, which initiated the chaos and anarchy.
"Then the police opened fire indiscriminately. Then the BGB was deployed. Later the army was deployed, and a curfew was imposed in the country. These are unconstitutional, unjust and punishable offences. By doing this, the government has committed a criminal offence against the people of the country. It should be judged."
Supreme Court lawyers Aneek R Haque and Jyotirmoy Barua also spoke on the occasion.
