High Court grants anticipatory bail to 4 lawyers including Nahid Sultana

The High Court has granted anticipatory bail to four lawyers including Nahid Sultana Juthi, an independent candidate in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election, over an attempted murder case.

After hearing their application, the High Court bench comprising Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman and Justice SM Masud Hossain Dolon passed the order on Wednesday.

Advocate Nahid Sultana Juthi applied for anticipatory bail in the High Court in the case filed on the charges of attempt to murder centred on the counting of votes in the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) election. The application was filed in the relevant branch of the High Court on March 14. 

Advocate Shakila Raushan and Barrister Chowdhury Moushumi Fatema (Kabita) also applied for bail in the same case. 

Later on March 18, the High Court bench consisting of Justice Md Salim and Justice Shahed Nuruddin refused to hear the anticipatory bail application of Nahid Sultana Juthi.

Assistant Attorney General Saifur Rahman Siddiqui filed the case with the Shahbagh police station on March 8. He accused 20 lawyers, including newly elected SCBA Secretary Nahid Sultana Juthi and BNP-backed secretary candidate Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal.

Other accused in the case are Advocate Md Zakir Hossain alias Masud, Advocate Shakila Roshan, Advocate Kazi Bashir Ahmed, Barrister Usman, Advocate Arif, Advocate Suman, Advocate Tushar, Rabiul, Barrister Chowdhury Moushumi Fatema (Kabita), Saidur Rahman Jewel, Oliur, Jubo League leader Jaydev Nandi, Main Uddin Rana, Moshiur Rahman Sumon, Kamal Hossain, Aslam Ryan, Advocate Tariqul and Advocate Sohag.

Another 30-40 unidentified people were also accused in the case.

According to the case statement, on the directive of the primary accused, Advocate Nahid Sultana Juthi, and with the active participation of other individuals involved, the Shaheed Shafiur Rahman Auditorium located on the ground floor of the Supreme Court Bar Association was forcefully entered using weapons. 

During this intrusion, the victim was targeted, with one of the accused striking the victim in the head with an iron rod, causing severe injury. 

Additionally, the victim was subjected to further assault by other accused individuals using wooden and plastic chairs and sticks, resulting in injuries across the victim's body and torn clothing.

Furthermore, Barrister Zakaria Habib, who was accompanying the plaintiff, was also reportedly assaulted, with the accused fracturing her right-hand fingers and snatching her mobile phone after striking her with a wooden stick. 

Another accused allegedly slapped and threatened Advocate Reena Begum, while another attempted to strangle her.

The chaos and violence within the auditorium led to the disruption of election proceedings, causing panic among election officials and rendering the electoral activities null and void. 

Allegations suggest that the head of the election sub-committee, Advocate Abul Khair, was coerced at gunpoint by the primary accused to declare a predetermined outcome without conducting a proper vote count. 

Fearing for their safety, election sub-committee members were compelled to abandon the vote-counting process.

Additionally, it is claimed that one of the accused seized a sum of Tk15,000 from the plaintiff's possession during the incident. The entire sequence of events was captured on CCTV installed at the Supreme Court Bar Association.

The incident is purported to have occurred under the leadership of Nahid Sultana Juthi, who held the position of secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association at the time. It is alleged that Juthi prevented the completion of vote counting and the announcement of results.

Subsequently, six lawyers, including Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kazal, who was vying for the secretary's position on the BNP's panel for the Supreme Court election, were arrested in connection with the case. 

Upon the High Court bench's refusal to hear their bail application, a new bench was appointed by the chief justice to review Nahid Sultana Juthi's anticipatory bail plea.