Lawyers in Dhaka on Sunday formed a human chain protesting the killing of Pabna Judge Court trainee lawyer Naeem Kibria, who was beaten to death after his private car was hit by a motorcycle in the capital’s Bashundhara Residential Area.
The protest was organised by Sachetan Abiyani Samaj in front of the Dhaka Bar Association in the afternoon.
Addressing the program, Advocate Anwarul Islam strongly condemned the killing and demanded a visible and speedy trial.
Drawing the attention of the legal affairs adviser, he said: “Several days have passed since the murder of lawyer Naeem Kibria, but not a single person has been arrested yet. This contradicts the spirit of the July movement and the uprising of 24. We wanted a Bangladesh where equal rights and fair justice for all are ensured. Yet, it is unfortunate that killings are being reported almost every day. We demand a fair investigation and trial.”
Lawyers participating in the human chain said the incident underscored the need for a clear and effective law to protect lawyers. They also called for proper investigations and trials in all murder cases across the country.
Advocate Parveen said: “Naeem Kibria was our brother. We want justice for his murder, and we also demand speedy justice for all killings in Bangladesh.”
Naeem Kibria, 35, was beaten to death in the Bashundhara Residential Area on the night of Wednesday, December 31.
According to his cousin Rafiqul Islam, Naeem was a victim of mob violence. “The attackers also vandalised the private car he was driving. He had gone out in a friend’s car,” he said.
The deceased was a lawyer at the Pabna Judge Court. He had come to Dhaka from Pabna about 10 days earlier to seek bail from the High Court in connection with a case filed during the anti-discrimination student movement. After arriving in Dhaka, he had been staying at his cousin’s house in Purbachal.
Police sources said that around 10pm on Wednesday, Naeem was driving through the Bashundhara area when his car collided with a motorcycle. Unidentified youths, including the motorcyclist, allegedly dragged him out of the vehicle, beat him and left him on the road before fleeing.
On receiving the information, his cousin rescued him and took him to Kurmitola General Hospital, where the on-duty doctor declared him dead. The body was later sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for autopsy.