High Court shows concern over Kushtia’s ‘horrible’ situation

The High Court says if reports of Superintendent of Police SM Tanvir Arafat ‘misbehaving’ with a senior judicial magistrate during the municipal election in Bheramara of Kushtia is such, then it must be ‘terrible’.

The top court also expressed worries over the complaints on recent reports of police persecution in Jashore.

On Jan 20, the High Court summoned Police Superintendent Tanvir Arafat to explain his misbehaviour with Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Mohsin Hasan.

It also issued a rule asking why no contempt of court charges should be brought against him. The ruling came after media reports on the incident.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Mohsin Hasan accused SP Arafat and his team of ‘misbehaving’ with him and stopping him from performing his duties during the Bheramara Municipality election on Jan 16.

The magistrate filed a plea with the Election Commission on Jan 17 seeking actions against the SP and his team.

The court also ordered the authorities to provide security for Md Shahjahan Ali, the election-time presiding officer at the Bheramara Pilot High School centre, and his family.

Meanwhile on Monday, Tanvir begged forgiveness for his ‘misbehaviour’ with Magistrate Mohsin after appearing before a panel of judges after the High Court summoned him.

A virtual bench of Justice Mamnoon Rahman and Justice Khijir Hayat exempted the police superintendent from personal appearance and scheduled the next hearing for Feb 17.

The police should be active in their work, not in words, Justice Khijir Hayat told the SP. They should ensure the security of the people from all spheres of society, irrespective of their political and ideological leanings, he added.

“The situation in Kushtia which has been presented, if that is the reality, then it would be terrible.”

“The police should become people’s friends through their work and not strike fear into them. It will be terrible for the nation if what we saw in the media about Kushtia is true. The country shouldn’t become a police state. People are worried and it’s your duty to calm their worry.”

“The situation in Jashore has left us in a state of fear. Ending anxiety over this issue is your duty.”

Lawyer Mansurul Haque Chowdhury and Ahmed Ishtiaq represented Tanvir, while Anik R Haque and Ishrat Hasan were the legal counsels for the presiding officer. Deputy Attorney General Taherul Islam was the state counsel.

“The police superintendent couldn’t recognise the magistrate and made an unintentional mistake. He’ll be more cautious in performing his duties in future,” Tanvir’s lawyer Mansurul Haque told the court.

Lawyer Ishtiaq presented a written appeal by the SP to the court.

“I have the deepest respect for the judiciary. I’ll be honoured to serve the judiciary and can never think of dishonouring it even briefly. I repent from the core of my heart and seek forgiveness from the court,” Tanvir wrote in his appeal.