Govt not interfering in Fakhrul, Abbas’ release: Law minister

The government does not interfere in the judiciary, Law Minister Anisul Huq said on Friday regarding the government's appeal against the High Court bail granted to BNP leaders Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Mirza Abbas.

"Court is making decisions independently. There is no government interference in the release of Mirza Fakhrul and Mirza Abbas," the law minister said at the Kasba Press Club in Brahmanbaria.

Quoting the attorney general, he said there was a violation of law in the bail process in the High Court for the two leaders. So, a petition challenging the High Court order was filed with the Appellate Division.

On 9 December, a team of the Detective Branch of police picked up Fakhrul and Abbas from their homes in separate raids in the capital.

Later, they were shown arrested in a case over the clash between police and BNP activists in the capital's Nayapaltan. A Dhaka court sent them to jail, rejecting their bail pleas.

Regarding misconduct with a judge in the Brahmanbaria courtroom recently, Anisul said the judiciary is independent, now the High Court has taken the matter under its jurisdiction. "I will not comment on this now."

He also said, "I have seen the video footage of the incident, and if it is true, I am shocked. As a member of a lawyer family, I believe that not all lawyers in Brahmanbaria are capable of doing such things."

On 2 January, Brahmanbaria Bar Association President advocate Md Tanvir Bhuiyan, Secretary advocate Md Akkas Ali and around 10-15 lawyers including advocate Zubair Islam came into the district Woman and Child Repression Prevention Tribunal Judge Mohammad Faruq's courtroom and rudely asked the judge to leave the courtroom.

On 4 January, Judge Mohammad Faruq sent a written complaint to the High Court to take action against those involved in this incident. Advocate Tanvir hurled abusive words at the court, as per the complaint.

Later, on the instructions of the Chief Justice, the Registrar General of the Supreme Court sent the judge's complaint to the High Court bench.

On Thursday, the High Court bench of Justice JBM Hassan and Justice Razik-Al-Jalil summoned the three lawyers, including advocate Tanvir Ahmed Bhuiyan, advocate Md Akkas Ali and advocate Zubair Islam, for misbehaving with Judge Mohammad Faruq.