Lawyers protest separation of metropolitan magistrate's court

Police yesterday intercepted a procession of lawyers in front of the new building of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court.

At one stage of altercation between the law enforcers and the lawyers they locked in scuffle. The lawyers broke through the police cordon and went to the CMM court to register their protest. They demanded removal of CMM Jalal Ahmed.

Later, The lawyers at a rally in front of the Bar library premises said the proposal and recommendation for the separation of the CMM's court had been taken in the interest of a few magistrates resulting in serious hassle to justice seekers and prosecution witnesses.

Speakers said the programmes for greater movement will be announced at a general meeting of the lawyers on October 4.

Jalal Ahmed sent a letter to the home ministry on June 12 with a recommendation to designate an additional chief metropolitan magistrate for the northwestern regions of the Dhaka metropolitan area and arrange the required number of metropolitan magistrates to discharge their duties somewhere at Agargaon or Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Lawyers, including Dhaka Bar president, general secretary and Public Prosecutor (PP) protested the proposal at a meeting called by the home ministry.