Students besiege court in Cox's Bazar over AL leader's bail in murder case, demand judge's removal

Protesting students besieged a court building in Cox's Bazar today (23 October), demanding the removal of a judge for granting bail to a district Awami League leader in three cases, including one filed over a killing related to the July-August movement.

At around noon, protesters under the banner "Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Cox's Bazar" besieged the District and Session Judge Court premises, reports our correspondent.

They protested against the bail of Masudul Haque Rashed, a former organisational secretary of Cox's Bazar, by the court's Judge Munshi Abdul Mozid yesterday.

The protesters and a group of lawyers alleged that the judge is favouring the attackers in the student movement by granting them bail quickly.

They demanded the removal of the judge immediately.

According to court sources, Advocate Mohammad Jahangir was the lead lawyer for the accused. Cox's Bazar District Bar Association President Abul Kalam Siddique secured bail for Rashed.

Rashed was arrested by the Rapid Action Battalion from Cox's Bazar Airport on the evening of 17 September. Subsequently, he was arrested in three cases.

On 4 August, during a procession of the student movement in the port city, a student was shot and killed.

On 17 August, Cox's Bazar Sadar Model Police Station Sub-Inspector (SI) Md Selim Mia filed a murder case in this regard.

Abul Kalam Siddique told The Business Standard, Rashed, who was shown arrested in the three cases, was not named in the FIR of those cases.

"Furthermore, the prison authorities informed the court in writing that Rashed was seriously ill. Considering all these factors, the court granted bail to Rashed under my custody. This was a part of the judicial process," he added.

Due to the protest, court proceedings were delayed today.