Colleagues' work stoppage today

The lawyers in Chittagong demonstrated on the court premises in the city yesterday, demanding immediate arrest and capital punishment for the killers of their colleague Bappi.

At a protest rally staged by Chittagong District Bar Association, Mohammed Abu Hanif, its general secretary, also announced a daylong work stoppage for today.

Omar Faruk Bappi, a lawyer of Chittagong District Judge Court, was found murdered in his West Bakalia residence in the port city on Saturday. His father Ali Ahmed filed a murder case accusing a woman, Rasheda Begum, and several others unnamed persons.

Addressing the rally, Abu Hanif said no lawyer of the association will stand for the accused. Seeking speedy trial, they will submit a memorandum to the home minister and inspector general of police through the deputy commissioner of Chittagong, said lawyer Raton Kumar Roy, president of the association. After the rally, Bappi's namaz-e-janaza was held at Chittagong Judicial Magistrate Court premises after the Zohr prayers.