CJ calls for talks as pro-AL-BNP lawyers clash again over SCBA polls

Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique yesterday called for dialogues to resolve the conflict centring the Supreme Court Bar Association election as pro-Awami League and pro-BNP lawyers clashed again on the last day of the poll.

Polling for the SCBA ended on Thursday amid unprecedented happenings including scuffles, police assaults and stampedes.

The situation escalated when the two sides started verbally attacking one another, chanting slogans, "vote chor" (vote thieves), and throwing accusations at their respective parties.

The clash first erupted around 12 noon and lasted about an hour. Around 4pm, the lawyers came face to face taking a stand against the SCBA polls as well as counter sloganeering attacks.

The incident occurred a day after police assaulted at least 10 journalists who were covering the elections.

BNP-supporting lawyers led by presidential candidate Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon and secretary general candidate Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol made a complaint to the Chief Justice at his court early in the morning over the incidents of Wednesday. At that time, seven other judges of the Appellate Division were also present.

The chief justice asked them to come to his personal room in the court a few moments later and accompany Attorney General AM Amin Uddin.

After the meeting, Amin Uddin told reporters that the chief justice has nothing to do about the situation that has arisen around the election of the SCBA.

"The chief justice said it is not a matter of court, rather it is a concern of the bar association. So, senior members of the association have been asked to resolve the issue on their own," he added.

Later on the day, the convenor of the election management committee, Md Moniruzzaman, filed a case with the Shahbag Police Station on the allegations of stealing and tearing ballot papers and throwing away election-related accessories. Pro-BNP lawyers Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Ruhul Quddus and 12 others, alongside 100 anonymous people, were accused in the case.

Rabiul Islam, administrative officer of the association, filed another case with the same police station on the charge of attacks during the election, in which over 100 BNP lawyers were made defendants.

Of 8,602 voters, 4,137 from the ruling Awami League-supported white panel cast their votes in the elections, while the BNP-backed blue panel abstained from voting and demanded re-election.

As the counting of votes started after Thursday evening, the final result was expected to be announced by Friday morning, association leaders said.

Earlier on Wednesday, 10 journalists and 25 lawyers were injured in a clash between the candidates and supporters of the two panels at the polling stations inside the Supreme Court in the capital. The riots also continued the next day.

"Police did not allow any of our candidates to enter polling stations from the day the polls began. Awami League-backed panel unprecedentedly abused the police in their favour. They sealed the ballots as per their wish," Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, presidential candidate from the BNP-backed panel, told TBS.

"We do not accept this election. We want re-election under an impartial election commissioner. Our peaceful movement and protest will continue," he added.

Criticising the election of the Supreme Court Bar Association, BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, at an event on Thursday, said, "The disgraceful incidents that happened there are a shame for the nation and its judicial system. The incidents prove what the current situation in Bangladesh is! No democracy and no rule of law exist in the country now."

In another event, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader said, "A leader of the BNP went to the Supreme Court to help his party lawyers rig votes and win the election. With 400 terrorists, they carried out an attack, but finally failed to snatch ballots."

Beginning of violence

On 13 March, senior lawyer Md Mansurul Haque Chowdhury was appointed as the convener of the election management sub-committee on the consensus of both white and blue panels. Mansurul Haque, however, resigned from the position the next day on personal grounds.

Several leaders of the association told TBS that Mansurul Haque proposed to take the vote through electronic voting machines, but the pro-Awami League lawyers rejected it. At the same time, current Supreme Court Bar Association President Momtaz Uddin Fakir and Abdur Noor Dulal, who are politically leaning to Awami League, allegedly pressured the convener to work in favour of the ruling party candidates.

On 14 March night, tension arose between the two panels as the Awami League lawyers nominated Md Moniruzzaman as the convener of the election management sub-committee. On the other hand, lawyers supported by BNP nominated ASM Moktar Kabir Khan for the same position.

At one point, the divination turned into procession, commotion and riots. The situation came under control with the interference of the police.