Law advisor urges people to protect the lower courts

Advisor to the ministry of law, justice and parliamentary affairs Asif Nazrul has urged people to refrain from doing any damage to the lower courts.

Citing various reports of besieging lower courts in different districts, he said the students and people didn’t have any demand regarding the lower courts, no matter if someone said something in this regard mistakenly or not.

Asif Nazrul said this in a video message from his verified Facebook page Saturday afternoon.

He said in the post, “I am assuring you that the students demanded the resignation of the chief justice at the Supreme Court (SC) and a few other justices. They have no programme or demand regarding the lower courts.”

Expressing concern over the reports of besieging lower courts at district level, “I request the protesting students and people to refrain from any sabotage attempt in the lower courts. There is no need to besiege the lower courts.”

Asif Nazrul said the justices at the lower courts have continued to work even in such a situation. They have made commitments that they will come out of their past mistakes.

The law affairs advisor called for ensuring security at the lower courts.

Earlier, a full court meeting was called in presence of justices from both divisions of the Supreme Court at 10:00 am Saturday. The meeting was supposed to be held virtually. However, it was later postponed. Supreme Court registrar general Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan confirmed this to Prothom Alo.

The coordinators of the Students Against Discrimination demanded the chief justice and seven other SC justices to resign from their posts. Despite that, a full court meeting was called.

However, several hundred protesters thronged to the Supreme Court premises upon hearing the news.

Later, at around 12:30 pm in the afternoon, student coordinator and advisor for the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan posted on Facebook that the sit-in programme was being held demanding resignation of the chief justice and seven other justices of the Appellate Division. It has no connection with the district or lower courts.