Barishal courts paralysed as Bar chief's arrest triggers shutdown

Amin, a young defendant, travelled all the way to Barishal Court only to find himself trapped in a legal gridlock. Despite showing up for two consecutive days, he couldn't get a single hearing done. "I came again on Wednesday and sat from morning until 4:30pm, but still no sign of my lawyer. I felt completely helpless," he said.

He is far from alone. Hundreds of others have faced similar frustrations as BNP-aligned lawyers staged consecutive court boycotts over political tensions, effectively bringing judicial proceedings in Barishal to a near standstill.

Despite the boycott call, some lawyers continued participating in judicial proceedings. In the afternoon, a group of lawyers, including Bar Association President Sadiqur Rahman Linkon, entered the ACMM courtroom, disrupted proceedings, and forced the judge to leave his chair.

Bench assistant Rajib Majumdar filed a case under the Speedy Trial Act at Kotwali Model Police Station against 12 individuals. Linkon, the key accused, was arrested that afternoon, prompting BNP-aligned lawyers to launch an indefinite court boycott.

District and Sessions Legal Counsel Abul Kalam Azad condemned the arrest as unjust. "Our Bar Association president has been wrongfully detained. Until his bail is granted, we won't return to work," he said. BNP-aligned lawyer Mohsin Montu added, "This arrest was orchestrated with Awami League leaders. They even circulated a fake video to frame him."

Meanwhile, courts issued contempt notices against nine lawyers and challenged the licenses of 12. Despite the boycott, plaintiffs and defendants ensured that hearings continued in several courts, including five CMM courts, 11 tribunals, and 12 judicial magistrate courts. Seventeen judges' courts saw minimal activity.

CMM official Kamrul Islam said judges allowed plaintiffs and defendants to present their cases even without lawyers, resulting in bail in some instances. Out of 57 cases listed across CMM, tribunals, and judicial magistrate courts, 40 were heard, including 20 of 27 CMM cases, with bail granted in four.