CJ orders stern action

Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed on Thursday ordered stern action against the lawyers responsible for throwing eggs at a High Court bench during its Wednesday's proceedings.

He issued the directive for the attorney-general and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) leaders after a meeting.

The Appellate Division judges, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman, SCBA President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and some other senior lawyers were present in the meeting.

The SCBA president later held a press briefing in his office and said, "The chief justice expressed his strict stance on the matter at the meeting. He feels that throwing eggs at a High Court bench has tarnished the image of the entire judiciary."

"It will not be tolerated anyway. He [the chief justice] wants a proper investigation into the matter and stern action against the responsible persons," added Khokon.

He said the chief justice was working with the Supreme Judicial Council. "If there is a complaint against a High Court judge, anyone can file it before the council."

The SCBA president said they would form a body to probe the matter by next Sunday or Monday. "If any lawyer's involvement is found, his or her SCBA membership and even bar council certificate would be cancelled," warned Khokon.

The Attorney General's Office had been asked to identify whether any of its officials was involved, said the senior lawyer.

Sources said a group of Supreme Court lawyers and some officials of the Attorney General's Office on Wednesday had thrown eggs targeting a High Court bench presided by Justice Ashraful Kamal. This forced the bench to suspend its proceedings and leave the courtroom immediately.

During the incident, masked lawyers alleged that Justice Ashraful had made derogatory comments about former president Ziaur Rahman in his part of a High Court verdict on the sixteenth amendment to the constitution.

Khokon said the meeting had also discussed the recent violence involving the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Iskcon) and questioned the security of court premises across the country.

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