Lawyer attacked after arrest warrant issued against client

A man named Zakir Faraji has been accused of attacking his lawyer with a sharp weapon in Mirzaganj, Patuakhali, after becoming enraged over the issuance of an arrest warrant against him.

The injured lawyer is Samiul Alim, 44. He is the president of the Youth Dal of Amragachhia Union in Mirzaganj upazila. The accused, Zakir Faraji, is said to be a former general secretary of upazila Chhatra Dal and former joint convener of Swechhasebak Dal.

The attack took place on Sunday, August 9, around 8pm in front of Samiul Alim's house in the Sluicegate area of Cholabunia village in Amragachhia Union.

Locals rescued Samiul Alim and took him to Mirzaganj Upazila Health Complex. As his condition deteriorated, he was transferred to Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital, where he is currently undergoing treatment.

Samiul Alim said there is a drug case against Zakir Faraji at the Mirzaganj Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court, and he was serving as Zakir's lawyer in that case.

He said the case was scheduled for hearing on Sunday. He called Zakir and asked him to appear in court, but Zakir said he was busy and could not come. Samiul then filed a time petition on his behalf. The court rejected the petition and issued an arrest warrant against Zakir Faraji.

Samiul said he informed Zakir of the court order over the phone. Later, around 8pm, while he was sitting at a tea shop in front of his house, Zakir arrived on a motorcycle and attacked him with a machete, inflicting injuries on his right leg above the knee and other parts of his body.

The injured lawyer said he is currently undergoing treatment at Barishal Sher-e-Bangla Medical College Hospital and will take legal action against Zakir Faraji after recovering.

Advocate Tarekul Islam, a lawyer and representative of the Mirzaganj Senior Judicial Magistrate's Court, said he went to Samiul Alim's house after hearing about the attack, but could not speak with him as he had already been taken to Barishal.

Multiple attempts were made to contact Zakir Faraji on his mobile phone, but he could not be reached.

Mirzaganj Police Station Officer-in-Charge Touhiduzzaman said he learned of the attack on the lawyer through sources. However, no verbal or written complaint has yet been filed with the police station by the victim.