Pandemonium in Kaleda's court hearing: Judge orders arrest of a lawyer, then withdraws

The court hearing the Zia Orphanage Trust and Zia Charitable Trust graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has witnessed a rowdy scene when the lawyers got engaged in a heated argument.

At one stage during Monday's hearing, the argument became so boisterous that judge Mohammad Akhtaruzzaman of the Fifth Special Judge's Court of Dhaka ordered the arrest of defence counsel AM Mahbubuddin Khokan but later withdrew it.

Mosharraf Hossain Kajal, a lawyer for the plaintiff Anti-Corruption Commission, submitted a petition seeking the cancellation of Khaleda's bail. He argued that "she has gone to London without the court's permission."

When the judge asked for comments of Khandaker Mahbub Hossain, a former vice-chairman of Bangladesh Bar Council and a lawyer for Khaleda, he said, "The High Court did not say in its bail order that the BNP chief would not leave the country."

The hullabaloo started when the defence filed a petition seeking steps against Awami League leader Hasan Mahmud for demanding Khaleda's arrest at a programme, which her lawyers said was contempt of court.

The judge picked up the file of Zia Orphanage Trust graft case amid the noise and ACC lawyer Kajal demanded start of formal argument in the case because, he said, the hearing on the statements by the accused in their defence ended.

The defence counsels opposed Kajal's submission immediately. At one stage, Khokan, the secretary of Supreme Court Bar Association, said, "The hearing on the statements of the accused defending themselves has not started yet. The ACC prosecutor is providing false information."

The judge asked him to calm down when he started talking in high pitch.

As Khokan continued his angry speech, the judge said, "You haven't learnt anything from your seniors. These cannot be a lawyer's words."

He also ordered the police officials at the courtroom to arrest Khokan.

Former attorney general AJ Mohammad Ali and other senior lawyers of the defence then said sorry to the court on behalf of Khokan, and the judge let him go.

The judge set Thursday as the next date for the hearing.