The attorney general yesterday criticised the Supreme Court Bar Association president, AJ Mohammad Ali, for refusing the decision of consensus reached on Tuesday over not holding any rallies, processions and meetings on the court premises.
He said Ali had changed his position under pressure of the hardliners in Jamaat and BNP.
Earlier in the day, the SCBA chief at a press briefing said at the meeting there was an agreement that none could reveal the issue of the discussion. “But unfortunately, the attorney general and a pro-Awami League lawyer circulated a confusing message.”
Pro-opposition lawyers after the briefing brought out a procession on the court premises. They also held a rally.
The meeting was held on Tuesday afternoon at the Judges’ Lounge of the Supreme Court where Chief Justice Md Muzammel Hossain, six other judges of the apex court, the attorney general, former SCBA presidents and secretaries, senior lawyers and the SC registrar were present. Later the attorney general made the disclosure about the meeting outcome.
AKM Shamsul Islam, the registrar, yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the lawyers had certainly agreed on keeping the court premises out of processions, rallies or meetings.
He said if the message of the meeting would not reach other lawyers, “then what was the purpose of holding the meeting?”
The attorney general told reporters that through such denial, the judiciary had been made controversial.
The top law officer the country, Mahbubey Alam also mentioned about a previous High Court verdict that had banned all types of processions and meetings on the court premises.
On Sunday, pro-Awami League men attacked pro-BNP lawyers who were demonstrating at the main entrance of the Supreme Court. The chief justice had called upon the meeting on Tuesday over the incident.
