Former law minister Anisul Huq was allegedly attacked after appearing before a court in Narayanganj on Monday in connection with a murder case.
Several individuals reportedly punched and slapped him as he was being escorted out of the courtroom following a remand hearing.
The incident occurred on the premises of Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Moinuddin Kadir`s court in Narayanganj.
Witnesses said that instead of stopping the assault, police quickly rushed Anisul into a prison van after a brief pursuit.
The court granted a four-day remand for Anisul Huq over the killing of madrasa student Hafiz Soleiman during the July uprising in Siddhirganj, Narayanganj.
Eyewitnesses stated that after the hearing, a group of people, including some lawyers, attacked Anisul by slapping and punching him. Several lawyers were also seen marching and chanting demands for his execution.
Inspector Mohammad Kaiyum of the Narayanganj Court Police said: “The CID sought a seven-day remand for former law minister Anisul Huq in connection with the murder of Soleiman. After the hearing, the court approved a four-day remand.”
When asked about the alleged assault, he claimed: “No one physically attacked him. Some lawyers created a disturbance. After the hearing, he was sent back to Dhaka Central Jail.”
The victim, Mohammad Soleiman, 19, son of Miraj Uddin from the Kabirajpur area under Rajoir upazila of Madaripur, was a madrasa student in Siddhirganj.
On August 5, during protests in the Shimrail area of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Soleiman was shot in the right leg and later died around 4:30 pm after being taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.
Following his death, Soleiman’s brother-in-law, Shamim Kabir, filed a murder case at Siddhirganj police station on August 22.
The case accused 51 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former law minister Anisul Huq, former social welfare minister Dipu Moni, former state minister for ICT Zunaid Ahmed Palak, former Narayanganj MP Shamim Osman, Narayanganj Awami League General Secretary Abu Hasnat, Metropolitan Awami League General Secretary Khokon Saha, and several unnamed others.
After the CID’s remand petition, Anisul Huq was produced before the Senior Judicial Magistrate`s Court in Narayanganj.
Commenting on the situation, Anwar Hossain, general secretary of the Narayanganj District Lawyers’ Association, said: “We have no information that the former law minister was assaulted or slapped.”
Advocate Abu Yousuf Khan Tipu, member secretary of Narayanganj Metropolitan BNP, added: “I was not present at the court during the incident and have no information about it.”
