BNP-Awami League lawyers scuffles, tension in Dhaka court

After the hearing of the charge sheet against Sheikh Hasina and 286 others in the case filed for overthrowing the interim government and participating in anti-state activities, there was a scuffle and tension between BNP and Awami League lawyers in the Dhaka court premises.

On Tuesday, Dhaka's Third Additional Metropolitan Sessions Judge Moin Uddin Chowdhury set September 30 as the date for the hearing of the charge sheet in the case.

After the hearing, the lawyers for the accused briefed journalists in the court premises. They claimed that there was no element of overthrowing the government or anti-state activities in the case and that it was a harassing case.

At that time, when some members of the Nationalist Lawyers Forum went there, an argument broke out between the two sides. According to eyewitnesses, at one stage, some people shouted the slogan 'Joy Bangla' and the situation became heated. Later, a scuffle broke out and some pro-Awami League lawyers were removed from the court premises and taken to the Dhaka Bar Association building.

Dhaka Bar Association Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Khan said that pro-Awami League lawyers were warned several times that they could create chaos. To avoid the risk of a police raid, they were taken to the association building and later released after being warned.

The case alleges that on December 19, 2024, Sheikh Hasina and several hundred people participated in a Zoom meeting of the 'Joy Bangla Brigade'. There, a call was made to overthrow the interim government and the statement was allegedly spread on social media.

After that incident, a CID officer filed a case on charges of sedition. Later, after investigation, a charge sheet was submitted to the court, accusing a total of 286 people, including Sheikh Hasina.