The High Court has questioned the police’s credibility over the nearly 4,000 cases across the country started by police against political activists, including deceased people as well as senior Supreme Court lawyers.
“These kinds of cases harm police’s image and credibility. What message will the people get if Khandaker Mahbub Hossain (senior lawyer and BNP leader) is named in such cases,” the court said on Monday while hearing a petition.
The petition was filed on Sept 23 by Khandaker Mahbub and two other lawyers — Nitai Roy Chowdhury and Sanaullah Miah.
Khandaker Mahbub is a BNP vice-chairman, Chowdhury a former BNP minister while Sanaullah is the party’s legal affairs secretary.
A wave of false cases had been filed against opposition activists in an attempt to create fear ahead of the election, Khandker Mahbub Hossain told the media after filing the petition on Sep 23.
On Monday, the matter was heard by the bench of justices Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury and Ashraful Kamal.
Dr Kamal Hossain, Moudud Ahmad and Khandaker Mahbub were among the counsels, who argued for the petitioner while Deputy Attorney General Ekramul Haque stood for the State.
At the beginning of the proceedings, the court went through the documents of some of the cases and said that these kinds of cases damages police’s credibility and asked what kind of message the people will get if Khandaker Mahbub is accused in these cases.
Deputy Attorney General Haque argued, “He is not only a lawyer, but also holds a designation at a political party.”
The court asked the State counsel whether the law bars Khandaker Mahbub from getting involved in politics. “And historically, it’s lawyers who get in to politics.”
Dr Kamal Hossain presented his arguments then and the court was adjourned till Monday upon the state counsel’s plea.
The petition, which was filed on Sept 23, says that police have filed 4,000 cases against political activists across the country between Sept 1 and 20.
Police have even named deceased people in the cases, it said.
It called for the formation of an independent commission to investigate ‘false’ cases stacked against the party’s supporters, activists and senior pro-BNP lawyers.
The writ urged the court to issue a rule declaring the ‘false’ cases illegal. The petitioners also sought legal action against those filing such cases.
The home secretary, the inspector general of police, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner, the Detective Branch’s deputy commissioner (north zone) and the chiefs of the Ramna and Shahbag police stations are among the defendants named in the petition.
The petition also called for the court to issue an order blocking the cases against the petitioners and other opposition activists.