Bangladesh: Litigants In Distress After Judicial Services Remain Suspended In Barishal

(MENAFN- IANS) Dhaka, Feb 26 (IANS) Several of the litigants in Bangladesh's Barishal district have been unable to access judicial services following the suspension of court activities for three consecutive days in protest over the arrest of the district bar association and the filing of a case against 12 lawyers, local media reported.

As the judicial services in all courts, including the District and Sessions Judge's Court, remained non-functional, several litigants who arrived at the premises on Thursday morning left without any progress in their cases.

Reports suggest that one of the litigants, Sabuj Hawlader, was seen going from one courtroom to another until noon, carrying his case documents.

Addressing reporters on the court premises, he said a case under the Women and Children Repression Prevention Act was lodged three months and 10 days ago against three individuals, including Akbar Ali Hawlader, who is currently on bail, Bangladeshi leading newspaper The Daily Star reported.

"When we moved the High Court seeking bail, it directed us to apply before the lower court. But for the last three days, the court's activities have remained suspended. I have been unable to file the bail petition," Sabuj said.

He added that the time limit for submitting the bail application ends on Sunday.

"With Friday and Saturday being holidays, Thursday was effectively the last working day. But as the courts are not functioning, I am deeply worried," he said.

According to the lawyers, a case was filed on Wednesday under the Speedy Trial Act against the President of the Barishal District Bar Association, Sadiqur Rahman Linkon, along with 11 other lawyers, on charges of courtroom vandalism and intimidating a judge.

On Tuesday afternoon, a group of agitating lawyers, reportedly led by Linkon, vandalised the courtroom of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, with CCTV footage of the incident later circulating on social media.

The case was registered by Rajib Majumder, bench assistant of the court of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, following which Linkon was arrested and sent to jail later that afternoon.

On Thursday morning, protesting lawyers demanded his immediate release on bail and threatened to suspend court activities indefinitely if he was not released within the day.

"Judicial activities across Barishal have remained suspended for 72 hours. Litigants are suffering, but when lawyers themselves are facing injustice, there is little we can do," The Daily Star quoted one of the protesting lawyers as saying on condition of anonymity.

He warned that the agitation would continue until the authorities withdraw the "false case" and grant bail to the bar association president.

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