BANGLADESH

It's the incident of Sept 21 when police arrested two people from the Dhaka judge court premises while providing mobile phones in shoes to Mohammad Hossain and Abdul Malek – two suspected militants of Jama'atul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB).

The men are also accused in the August 21 grenade attack case.

Lawyers and other court people have expressed their concern over the lapsed security management on the court premises.

The JMB incident has created panic among the people involved in court activities.

The police on June 28 arrested one Hafez Abdul Gafur who was chanting slogans – 'Everything is false, the truth will win– standing at the veranda during the hearing of a case filed against Mufti Hannan, a top leader of banned Islamist terror outfit Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI), in Dhaka Sessions Judge's Court.

In September last year, Mufti Hannan threatened a public prosecutor inside the courtroom. Thus the militant leaders often threaten and advise the judges in different ways standing in the dock.

On Sept 6 last year, email was sent to the law ministry demanding immediate release of Jamaat-e-Islami chief Matiur Rahman Nizami, secretary-general Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed and its central executive council member Delwar Hossain Sayedee who face charges of crimes against humanity during 1971 independence war.

Asif Imran, an accused in journalist Gautam Das murder case, fled the court custody of Dhaka's First Speedy Trial Tribunal on Apr 21 the same year.

The people concerned alleged that no proper step had been taken to strengthen security in Dhaka court premises despite such incidents.

They said a tight patrolling and monitoring of the law enforcement agencies were in place at the gates of Dhaka court following the unprecedented series bomb blasts across the country on Aug 17, 2005.

Special public prosecutor of Dhaka Divisional Special Judge's Court Shaheen Ahmed Khan told bdnews24.com: "We, the public prosecutors and judges, are concerned over a lack of security on the court premises. Especially, we are to remain in fear of attacks of the hidden militant outfits which aim to establish Islamic rule in the country."

Dhaka's Fourth Speedy Trial Tribunal's special public prosecutor Mohammad Rafiqul Islam said: "Policemen were not found despite calling them when these accused create untoward situation in the courtroom."

The lawyers also remain in fear of criminals apart from the militant outfits. The incident of attacking the chambers of different lawyers nearby the court area is common.

The followers of the self-exiled top terror Dakat Shahid fired several rounds entering the chamber of lawyer Zakir Hossain at Koilash Ghosh Lane on Aug 3, 2009. Hossain had suffered serious bullet injuries in the attack.

Hossain said: "Dhaka Lawyers Association had decided not to conduct any case for those who attacked me. But some lawyers later conducted the case of the identified criminals and they were released on bail."

Several lawyers of Kalta Bazaar, Karkunbari Lane, Nasiruddin Sarder Lane and Rajardeuri Lane, seeking anonymity, said that they need to pay tolls to local criminals, otherwise, they assault them.

A Dhaka court lawyer Syed Ahmed Gazi told bdnews24.com that many of the victim lawyers do not want to say anything about it out of fear.

A number of murders have been committed over the last 10 years in the court area in Old Dhaka.

One Morshed, son of a lawyer of Mohammadpur area of the city, Juba League leader (Murgi) Milan who came to appear before the court, witness of a case Dhaka's Mirpur unit Juba League leader Abul Kalam Azad, BNP leaders Anwar Hossain Anu and Nazrul Islam were killed in the court premises.