Violence at SCBA: 25 pro-BNP lawyers get anticipatory bail from HC

Twenty-five pro-BNP lawyers today secured anticipatory bail from the High Court in a case filed for the violence on the Supreme Court Bar Association office premises on May 16.

Following a petition filed by the lawyers of the accused, the HC bench of Justice Md Salim and Justice Md Riaz Uddin Khan granted the bail till the submission of police report in this case.

Earlier in the day, the accused petitioners, including BNP Joint Secretary General Mahbub Uddin Khokon, former secretary of SCBA Md Ruhul Kuddus Kazal, and BNP Law Affairs Secretary Kayser Kamal, appeared before the HC bench seeking bail.

Senior lawyers M Amir-Ul-Islam and AJ Mohammad Ali argued for the petitioners during the hearing.

Md Rafiqullah, assistant superintendent of the SCBA, filed the case with Shahbagh Police Station on May 16 against 25 pro-BNP lawyers over the violence on its office premises.

Besides, 150 others were made unnamed accused in the case.

According to the case statement, the accused are pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers. They are accused of attempting to murder an Awami League-leaning lawyer, harassing a female lawyer, theft, and vandalism.

Earlier that day, pro-BNP and AL-leaning lawyers scuffled while holding separate programmes on the SCBA office premises over its recent annual polls. The incident left around two dozen lawyers injured.