Bail for four SC statue removal protesters in case started by police

A Dhaka court has granted bail to four persons arrested in the case started by police over Friday's demonstration protesting the removal of a statue from the Supreme Court premises.

Court Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 28 May 2017, 07:40 AM
Updated : 28 May 2017, 07:44 AM

Police have brought charges of attempted murder and obstruction of government duty against them and several other unidentified people.

On Sunday, the four were produced before a metropolitan magistrate court, which granted their bail petitions.

They are General Secretary of left-leaning Bangladesh Students Union Liton Nondi, its Dhaka College unit President Morshed Hamid, activist Joy and Arif Nur, member of the central committee of Udichi, one of the leading cultural organisations of Bangladesh.

They might be released from jail on Sunday, lawyer Jibananda Jayanat, who is on the defence team, told bdnews24.com.

Chief defence counsel Sara Hossain said in the hearing that the police have brought charges of attempted murder, but did not specify who the protesters' target was.

The protesters went to demonstrate as part of a previously announced programme and did not attack law enforcers, she told the court. "Police were aware of the demonstration and attacked the protesters."

The statue of Lady Justice was removed from near the top court’s entrance on Thursday night, to appease a radical Islamist outfit, Hifazat-e-Islam.

Enraged by the decision, leftist student bodies began demonstrating outside the court premises and announced protests for the morning.

On Friday noon, police put up barricades near Bangladesh Shishu Academy to stop a procession by 'progressive students' who were marching toward the Supreme Court from the Raju Memorial at Dhaka University.

Police used teargas shells, water cannons and rubber bullets to disband the protesters as they tried to break through the barricades.

Five were detained from the demonstration. At least 20 have been injured, according to protesters.

Police started a case the same day against the protesters under Section 307 of the Penal Code.

The four were formally arrested on the case and produced before a court on Saturday, when the bail hearing was scheduled for the next day.

If the arrestees are found guilty, they may be sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine.

Religious hardliners say the statue at the Supreme Court, an adaptation of Greek goddess Themis in a sari, goes against Islamic tenets.

According to them, the statue erected in December 2016, holding the familiar sword and scales of justice in her hands, amounts to idolatry.

Hifazat-e Islam, Olama League and several other Islamist organisations have been demanding the removal of the statue.

Hifazat chief Shah Ahmed Shafi led Qawmi madrasa representatives to a meeting a Ganabhaban where Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conceded their demand over the statue on Apr 11.

She said she, too, dislikes the statue.

It was removed from near the top court's entrance on Thursday night, a move seen by some as a compromise with radical views.

Late on Saturday, the statue was re-installed in front of the annex building of the Supreme Court.