SCBA iftar party turns ugly as Awami League, BNP lawyers clash

In a bizarre turn of eventsa, a brawl took place between pro-Awami League and pro-BNP lawyers at an iftar party organized by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) on Thursday. 

The lawyers of the two political parties engaged in a hand-to-hand scuffle, chased each other, and vandalized banners and furniture in two hall rooms of the association, designated for the iftar mahfil. 

Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, who was chief guest of the program, was not present when the clash took place. High Court and Appellate Division judges were not present either. 

The clash broke out at 4:30pm when pro-Awami League lawyers snatched the banners the ad-interim committee of the SCBA was hanging in a hall room of the association. At that time, lawyers from both sides chased each other.

At the same time, pro-BNP carried out a black flag procession and entered the hall, intensifying the clash.

After that, lawyers from both political parties staged demonstrations in the association building until iftar.  

At one point, the BNP side staged a sit-in before the association building and urged the chief justice and other judges not to attend the iftar party. 

Later, lawyers from both parties finished their iftar at different places in the association building. 

Former Supreme Court Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury Manik alleged that he was prevented from participating in the Iftar party because of the aggressive behaviour of pro-BNP lawyers.

On the other hand, several lawyers alleged that the BNP-backed bar association president candidate, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, led a protest march and attacked the iftar party organized by the Awami League. 

Mohammad Mohsen Rashid, convener of the ad-interim committee, said: “What happened at the Supreme Court Bar Association was completely unacceptable. We do not support any party. We just want a fair SCBA poll and working towards that goal.”

Md Momtazuddin Fakir, president of the Bangladesh Supreme Court Bar Association, said BNP-backed lawyers vandalized furniture at the association building, yet they attended the iftar mahfil. 

“Because of them, the chief justice and other judges could not attend the iftar party,” he said. 

Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum Supreme Court unit General Secretary and BNP's National Executive Committee Member Gazi Md Kamrul Islam Sajal said they were not involved in any vandalism. 

“We held a peaceful protest program,” he stated.

Meanwhile, a group of SCBA members have decided to hold a fresh annual election to the SCBA on June 14 and 15, saying that no election took place on March 15 and 16.