The High Court (HC) yesterday issued contempt rule against eminent jurists Dr Kamal Hossain, Amir-Ul Islam, Rokanuddin Mahmud, Abdul Baset Majumdar and nine others to explain within four weeks why they should not be charged with contempt of court.

The other alleged contemnors are Subrata Chowdhury, Enayetur Rahim, Sheikh Awsafur Rahman, Tania Amir, Khasruzzaman, Abdul Halim, Mostafizur Rahman, Sayeed Ahmed Raja and Nahid Yasmeen Juthi.

An HC bench issued the rule following a contempt petition filed by Assistant Attorney General Atiqul Karim in connection with the November 30 vandalism in the Supreme Court (SC).

Former BNP lawmaker advocate Khandakar Mahabubuddin

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Ahmed and Habibul Islam Bhuiyan moved for the petitioner.

As a witness, Atiqul in his submission said Dr Kamal, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Barrister Amir-Ul, Vice-chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council Rokanuddin, former SCBA president Baset and others instigated the vandalism in a bid to generate hatred against the chief justice.

The petitioner also said such act of violence is a gross contempt of the highest judiciary.

Vandalism on the SC premises erupted after the chief justice stayed the proceedings of writ petitions minutes before an HC bench was to issue a rule on a writ that challenged the legality of the president assuming the post of chief adviser.

Two sedition charges and two criminal cases were earlier filed against the SCBA lawyers in connection with the November 30 vandalism.

EMINENT CITIZENS' STATEMENT

Our DU Correspondent adds: A group of eminent citizens yesterday expressed grave concern

over the filing of sedition charges against six lawyers including Dr Kamal Hossain, barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud and M Amir-Ul Islam.

In a statement, they said the lawyers, against whom the charges were filed, are contributing a lot to safeguarding the country's democracy, freedom and sovereignty.

Two of them have great contributions in formulating the country's constitution, said the statement.

"They do not commit any activities, which can be termed seditious acts," read the statement that also added "We think the charges brought against them are illogical and demand immediate withdrawal of the cases."

The signatories to the statement are Dr Khan Sarwar Murshid, Dr Anisuzzaman, Major General (Retd) Moinul Islam Chowdhury, Ajoy Roy, M Mujibul Haq, Laila Rahman Kabir, Kamal Lohani, Dr Ajoy Roy, Ibrahim Khaled, Syed Abul Moksud, Prof Hayat Mamud, Khushi Kabir, Zia Uddin Tareq Ali, Tabarak Hossain and SMA Sabur.