A Dhaka court on Monday adjourned the hearing in the framing of charges in a case amid a pandemonium triggered by the assault of a defence lawyer by a court peon for using a toilet reserved for prosecutors in the makeshift court set up in the Aliya Madrassah ground at Bakshibazar in capital.
The defence counsel, Hakim Khan, was pushed on the neck by the peon, Hashim Patwari, in the courtroom at about 3:25pm while the Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge,
Mohammad Jahurul Haque, was hearing the defence counsels' arguments seeking acquittal of their clients of charges of murder, arson, robbery, and other crimes committed during the February 25-26, 2009 rebellion at the BDR headquarters, now Border Guard Bangladesh, in Dhaka.
Hakim Khan at about 3:30pm went to the dais during the hearing and sought justice for his being assaulted by the peon.
A number of defence counsels also protested at the assault, triggering a furore during the proceedings.
A defence counsel told the court, 'We cannot accept such behaviour.'
Prosecution lawyer Mosharraf Hossain told the court that he would solve the problem after the court rises.
'There is pandemonium in the court and I cannot continue the proceedings,' said the judge, Mohammad Jahurul Haque.
'The proceedings are adjourned till July 5,' he told the court at about 3:35pm.
Jahurul Haque went to his private room and Mosharraf Hossain along with Hakim Khan followed him after a few minutes.
Later, Mosharraf Hossain told reporters that the problem was 'solved' but there were marks of injuries on the neck of the victim.
Before the incident, the court allowed defence lawyers representing 169 of the accused to argue why their clients should be absolved of the charges pressed by the prosecution. With this, 180 accused so far argued through their lawyers since May 23.
The Criminal Investigation Department of police filed two cases – one under the penal code for murder, arson, robbery, and other crimes and the other under the Explosive Substances Act for illegally taking up arms – against 850 BDR personnel and civilians.
Of the 850 accused, 826 including former BNP lawmaker Nasiruddin Ahmed Pintu and Awami League leader Torab Ali, a retired subedar, were present in the courtroom on Monday.
Three of the accused have died in the meanwhile, while 21 have been absconding.
The prosecution, after pressing the charges against the 847 accused, prayed for framing the charges in May.
During the proceedings, Aminul Islam, the counsel for Pintu, argued that his client should be discharged from case as his implication was 'politically motivated.'
He said that some of the accused had met Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, and the home minister, Sahara Khatun, separately and told them about their grievances before the mutiny.
But the prosecution has made Pintu an accused.
'It was done to save Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh and Sheikh Selim and some others who were informed by some BDR men that something was going to happen,' Aminul told the court.
Source : New Age
