'Joy Bangla' slogan causes uproar at Lakshmipur court premises; one held

A commotion arose at the Lakshmipur Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court premises today (2 February) over chanting Awami League's "Joy Bangla" slogan while the accused in student murder cases were being loaded into a prison van. 

According to police and eyewitnesses, some men, along with the accused in the cases, were shouting 'Joy Bangla' in the court premises. 

Two of those giving the slogans were soon beaten up by a mob. 

One of them, Paran Chowdhury, was held and handed over to the police. The other managed to escape.

Lakshmipur Sadar Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Abdul Monnaf said Paran was detained while distributing Awami League leaflets. 

"He is now in police custody. It is being investigated whether there is any case against him," he said.

According to police and court sources, hearings took place in the court today for murder cases of four students killed during the student-led mass uprising in the district.

The commotion took place when the police were loading the arrested accused, including Sadar Upazila Awami League President Humayun Kabir Patwari, Lakshmipur Municipality Awami League President Syed Ahmed Patwari, District Chhatra League Organising Secretary Shahin Alam, into a prison van to take them to jail. 

Later in the afternoon, pro-BNP and pro-Jamaat-e-Islami lawyers staged a demonstration in the court premises to protest chanting of 'Joy Bangla' slogan and AL leaflet distribution. 

Public Prosecutor (PP) of the District and Sessions Judge Court Ahmed Ferdous Manik and District Jamaat Joint Secretary Advocate Mohsin Kabir Murad spoke at the demonstration.

They demanded that those involved in the incident of distributing leaflets and chanting "Joy Bangla" in the court premises be identified and arrested quickly.