President of the Barisal District Bar Association, Advocate Sadiqur Rahman Lincoln, was arrested on Wednesday on allegations of creating disorder in front of a judge during proceedings at the Additional Chief Metropolitan Court.
Law enforcement officials detained him from his chamber on the Barishal court premises around 12:30pm. Later, upon his appearance before Additional Chief Metropolitan Court Judge SM Shariatullah, the court ordered that he be sent to jail.
Kotwali Model Police Station Officer-in-Charge Manunul Islam confirmed the arrest, saying preparations were underway to transfer him from the court to jail.
The arrest triggered protests by lawyers on the court premises. Demonstrators staged a boycott and expressed strong opposition to the detention of the Bar Association president. To prevent further unrest, members of the police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), and the army were deployed in and around the court area.
Assistant Public Prosecutor of the Barishal District Judge’s Court, Hafiz Ahmed Bablu, alleged that while accused persons in explosive-related cases have to seek bail from the District Judge’s Court, leaders of the banned Awami League were being granted bail from lower courts.
He said lawyers had begun boycotting court proceedings from Tuesday in protest over the issue, and that Wednesday’s developments were a continuation of that movement.
Bablu condemned the arrest and demanded the immediate removal of the Additional Chief Metropolitan Court judge, warning that the boycott programme would continue until their demand is met.