At least 16 people, including four police officers and 12 lawyers, were injured in a clash between pro-BNP lawyers and police on the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court premises on Tuesday.
The clash took place around noon when pro-BNP lawyers held a protest march, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Starting at the Dhaka Bar Association building, the march was intercepted by police when it reached the main road in front of the court.
When the lawyers sat down on the road, police tried to disperse them. At one point, police baton-charged them. During the ensuing clash, nearly 16 people were injured.
Ignoring the police obstruction, the pro-BNP lawyers then positioned themselves at the main entrance of the court.
The injured police officers include Kotwali Zone Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Muhit Kabir Serniabat, Kotwali police station Officer-in-Charge Shahinur Rahman, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Bashir and Constable Harun.
The injured lawyers are Mahbubur Rahman Khan, Dewan Ripon, Mojahidul Islam Sayem, KM Miraz Hossain, Saidur Rahman Sohag, KM Barakat Sabuj, Mahbub Alam Akhtar, Shafiqul Islam, Johirul Islam, Haji Md Mohsin, Kazi Ponir and SM Humayun Kabir.
Pro-BNP lawyers claimed that they were on a peaceful march and police baton-charged them, which injured 12 of them.
Kotwali police station OC Shahinur Rahman said: “When pro-BNP lawyers took to the streets, we asked them to move to maintain law and order. But they forcefully continued their march.”
“At that time, when we tried to move them, they engaged in a clash, leaving eight to nine of our personnel injured,” he said, adding that the injured police officers are receiving first aid treatment.
ADC Muhit Kabir Serniabat said the pro-BNP lawyers premeditatedly attacked policemen, and they had to retaliate.
“Eight to nine of our police officers, including me, were injured,” he added.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon, BNP Joint General Secretary and former general secretary of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association, said: "Today, our program was a peaceful procession. As we left the court, police pounced on us like criminals.”
“Legally there is no definition for criminals. Today, the police attack resembled criminal behaviour. They beat up our lawyers without provocation. Even criminals would not go that far," he said.
Mahbub Uddin Khokon further said police harassed their female lawyers and touched them insolently.
"Everyone now aspires to be like ADC Harun. It is evident that even justice under this government is double-faced. When ADC Harun assaulted our students and attacked our lawyers at the Supreme Court, nothing was done. But when he mistreated two leaders of the ruling government’s student wing, only then was he suspended," he added.
Md Jafar Hossain, deputy commissioner of the DMP's Lalbagh Zone, said police showed restraint, and it was the pro-BNP lawyers who initiated the attack.
“Four of our police officers were injured. We will take legal action in this matter,” he added.
