The office of the secretary (Awami League) of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) has been vandalized amid scuffles between pro-BNP and pro-Awami League lawyers on Thursday.
The scuffle took place during the groups’ separate programs.
However, lawyers from both sides have made different allegations regarding the incident.
Earlier in the day, the pro-BNP lawyers' organization, the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, held a press conference at around 2:30pm to protest the verdict against BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman in a graft case.
After the press conference, the lawyers took out a protest march and chanted slogans demanding the resignation of the government.
Meanwhile, the pro-Awami League lawyers took out a protest march on the Supreme Court premises to protest against BNP’s anarchy at around 1:45pm.
Later, the groups faced each other in front of the SCBA secretary and president’s offices and locked into a scuffle.
At one point, the BNP lawyers allegedly vandalized the room of SCBA Secretary Abdun Nur Dulal’s office and removed his nameplate. The nameplate from the president's room was also removed.
Several lawyers from both groups were reportedly injured during the incident.
After the incident, Abdun Nur Dulal, at a press conference claimed BNP lawyers Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Kaiser Kamal, Ruhul Quddus Kajal and Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal attacked the Awami League lawyers.
“They vandalized the room of the president and secretary of the association. Some of our lawyers were seriously injured. Therefore, a case will be registered in this regard,” he said.
Meanwhile, BNP Law Affairs Secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal told reporters: "Awami League lawyers attacked one of our lawyers when we were leaving after a peaceful press conference. When we tried to rescue her, they (Pro-Awami League lawyers) behaved more aggressively with us.”
He also alleged that the pro-Awami League lawyers vandalized the office themselves, and blamed it on them.
BNP lawyers have filed a complaint with Shahbagh police station. On the other hand, Awami League lawyers filed an FIR with Shahbagh police station against 18 lawyers and 40-50 unidentified people.
