Whole country now reeling on ‘life-support’, says judge, as he hears case against students over Secretariat mayhem

While hearing the arguments in a case against four accused students on attempted murder charges in connection with the recent violent protest at the Secretariat following the Milestone tragedy, the judge remarked that the entire country is now battling for survival.

"What is the use of so many Golden A+s achieved by students?... Their lives have already been in jeopardy. We have reached such a critical point where Bangladesh itself has no future. The entire country is already on life support," observed the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Jamshed Alam during the hearing on bail petitions for the four accused in the case.  

"The Secretariat is the lifeline of the state. Who will evaluate the state if the Secretariat doesn't exist," the judge asked.

Earlier, the Investigating Officer of the case, Shahbagh police station Sub-Inspector Mohammad Mahmudul Hasan produced the four accused before the court with a plea to place them in lockup.

The accused are – Ashikur Rahmna Tanvir, 19; Jeffri Avishek Shikder, 21; Abu Sufian, 21; and Md Shakil Mia, 19. They were brought to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court from lockup around 2:30pm amid tight security.

Lawyers of the accused, including Salahuddin Khan and Tahmina Akhter Liza, made arguments seeking bail for the accused, stating that the accused are bright students and innocent. "During the incident, they went to the Secretariat, driven by their emotions."

However, Additional Public Prosecutor Muhammad Shamsuddoha Sumon opposed the bail plea, saying that the accused are involved in Awami League and Chhatra League politics. "None of them are involved in the anti-discrimination student movement. They entered the Secretariat and carried out vandalism from the front lines, which is clearly visible in the CCTV footage of the incident."

After the hearing, the court rejected the bail plea and sent the accused to jail. 

During the hearing, the judge asked one of the accused, Abu Sufian, why he went to the Secretariat at that time.

In reply, Sufian said he did not go to the Secretariat, and was not involved in Chhatra League politics. He alleged that the police arrested him on his way from his university campus to Jatrabari area.

Sufian also claimed himself as an assistant coordinator of Dhaka University's Bijoy Ekattor Hall unit during last year's anti-discrimination student movement.

In response, the judge remarked, "The problem now is that conspiracies are occurring both externally and internally. Are those who played a role in the July Movement now becoming victims of a conspiracy? The lives of those who participated in the July Movement are already jeopardised."

The judge further remarked that the situation has deteriorated to such an extent that there exists no 'law and order' in the country.

"What will happen to their [students'] certificates if the state does not exist? Who will issue certificates if the Secretariat doesn't exist? The Secretariat is the lifeline. If the head is impacted, the body becomes meaningless," he stated.