The killing of top-listed criminal Tariq Saif Mamun in front of the National Medical College Hospital, adjacent to the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, on November 10 has raised serious questions about security at the capital’s lower courts.
Mamun, who had appeared before the court in connection with a 28-year-old murder case, was shot dead by two assailants while returning from his hearing. Police later arrested five people, including the two alleged shooters, and secured a four-day remand.
Court officials say incidents involving accused persons and trial seekers fall directly under court security and must be taken seriously.
The shooting occurred during court hours, leaving litigants and visitors startled by the sudden gunfire. Lawyers and court staff say the incident has exposed vulnerabilities in the overall security of Dhaka’s lower courts, which see thousands of accused persons, witnesses and litigants moving through the premises every day.
Concerns are not limited to violent crime. The busy Johnson Road footpath — used by lawyers and trial seekers moving between courts — has long been a hotspot for pickpockets and snatchers.
Several recent incidents have involved victims from within the justice system, including the theft of an iPhone from a Kaler Kantho court reporter and the loss of a mobile phone belonging to a police constable assigned to prisoner transport.
Several lower court lawyers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said they often face hostility from defendants following unfavourable verdicts. “The court delivers judgments based on law, but some defendants react violently,” one lawyer said. “Bringing such accused persons to court requires extra caution. Their associates may attempt attacks from outside.”
Police officials responsible for prisoner transport echoed the concerns, saying officers on court duty should be allowed to carry weapons and modern scanning systems should be installed at court gates.
Advocate Omar Farooq Farooq, Supreme Court lawyer and public prosecutor of the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court, said that law enforcement presence must be strengthened. “Security is essential for everyone—from litigants to lawyers and judges. Kotwali police must prioritise this area. Mandatory check-posts at all entry points should be increased.”
Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge Moniruzzaman said patrols have already been intensified. “Foot, mobile and motorbike patrols are being strengthened. This is not only because of the recent killing—we had patrols before, but they have been tightened considering the present situation.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Prosecution) Mia Mohammad Ashish Bin Hasan, who oversees court security, said officers have been instructed to work with heightened vigilance. “Suspicious individuals entering the court are being checked. I regularly monitor whether duties are being carried out properly,” he said.
According to the DC, 545 police personnel are deployed across the court premises: 67 in the Metropolitan Sessions Court, 143 at the CMM Court, 23 at the CGM Court and 24 at the District Judge’s Court. Ten officers are sent daily from Rajarbagh Police Lines.
He added: “We brief officers every morning. Senior officials monitor the situation. If more manpower is required, higher authorities are cooperative.”
Asked whether the current deployment is adequate, he said: “It is sufficient if utilised properly. However, officers are sometimes diverted for other tasks, which creates gaps during crisis moments.”
The DC said preparations are also underway to prevent instability ahead of the upcoming national election.
Meanwhile, Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mostafizur Rahman wrote to the DMP commissioner on November 11—one day after Mamun’s killing—urging enhanced security at Dhaka’s lower courts. The letter highlighted the growing panic among judges, court staff and litigants.
It noted that judges of 37 CMM courts handle cases from 50 police stations, often working late hours, and stressed the need for safe passage when returning home.
The Bangladesh Judicial Service Association recently issued a statement demanding improved security for judges nationwide, following the killing of a judge’s son during an attack at their Rajshahi residence.