In a dramatic twist of Bangladesh’s ongoing turmoil of politics Dhaka court on Sunday jailed 70 lawyers linked to the ruling Awami League, on charges of involvement in last year’s deadly political violence. The lawyers are accused of assault and attempted murder in the course of the mass protests that ended with the collapse of Sheikh Hasina’s administration.
Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge, Mohammad Zakir Hossain, passed the order when the accused were produced to the court seeking bail. Court sources said that the judge turned down their pleas leading to being taken in custody to Dhaka Central Jail straightaway.
The court had, however, granted bail to nine female lawyers and former Dhaka Bar president Abu Sayeed Sagor on humanitarian grounds.
The accused were part of 144 lawyers prosecuted following the 2024 unrest, which led to over 1,400 deaths and extensive destruction. Initially, granted eight weeks-anticipatory bail by High Court, the lawyers surrendered to the lower court as their bail came to an end.
Security was tight around the high court as the lawyer were whisked into prison vans, indicating the government’s growing direct law enforcement action against pro-Awami League accused of violence.
The mass arrests reflect the growing fault lines within the country’s judiciary and government, raising worries about judicial immunity and political reprisal. Legal experts predict more star-studded arrests in the coming weeks.
