Chattogram, Bangladesh Global: A Chattogram court yesterday deferred the bail hearing of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, spokesperson for Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote, to January 2.
At 11:00am, the Chattogram Metropolitan Session Judge Saiful Islam set the new date for the hearing as there was no defence lawyer in the courtroom.
Asked, Adv Nazim Uddin Chowdhury, president of Chattogram District Bar Association (CDBA), said he didn't know why no lawyer appeared for the accused. "We have not received any reports of lawyers being intimidated into staying away from the hearing."
Meanwhile, several lawyers who earlier stood for Chinmoy on November 26 told this newspaper that they didn't feel safe in the court premises after the clash that resulted in the death of lawyer Saiful Islam Alif on that day.
Furthermore, the fact that several Hindu lawyers were made accused in the case filed by Alif's brother has also caused unease among them, they added.
Adv Nitai Prasad Ghosh said, "Many Hindu lawyers are hesitant to go to court for legal battles after what happened on Nov 26."
However, Nitai, who is also an accused in the case filed by Alif's brother, said he has not received any threats or intimidation.
Visiting the court yesterday, this correspondent saw that police ramped up security at the court premises ahead of the hearing. Additional police patrols were seen at various points of the area to prevent any untoward situation.
Ahead of the hearing, a group of lawyers staged a demonstration and brought out a procession at the court premises. However, the accused was not produced in court today.
Meanwhile, the Sammilita Sanatani Jagaran Jote alleged that lawyers were prevented from representing Chinomoy for his bail hearing.
In a statement, the alliance condemned the intimidation and threats faced by lawyers who had previously defended Chinomoy, calling it a blatant violation of the rule of law and human rights. They urged the Bangladesh government and international organisations to intervene.
On October 31, a BNP leader filed a case with Kotwali Police Station accusing Chinmoy and 18 others of disrespecting Bangladesh's national flag in Chattogram's New Market area during a rally of the Hindu community on October 25.
Chinmoy was arrested by detectives from the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport area in Dhaka on November 25.
On November 26, Chinmoy was produced before a court in Chattogram, but the court refused his bail prayer and sent him to jail, sparking outrage among his followers.
The followers blocked the prison van for hours at the court building, demanding his release and forcing the law enforcers to charge batons and fire sound grenades to disperse them. This triggered a clash between police, Chinmoy followers, and lawyers.
During the clash, lawyer Saiful Islam Alif was hacked to death by a group of protestors outside the court area.
Three cases have been filed, accusing 79 named and 1,400 unnamed individuals in connection with the clash.
Besides that, Alif's father also filed a case against 31 people, while his brother registered another case accusing 115.
Bangladesh Global/JS
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