Police barred the lawyers from entering the Supreme Court (SC) premises to hold a rally on Saturday protesting the killing of Narayanganj lawyer Chandan Sarker and six other people after abduction last month. Police blocked the lawyers’ way by putting the three gates of the Supreme Court under lock and key in the morning. To make the programme a success by any means, the lawyers thronged the Mazar Gate in the court area on Saturday. Police also arrested 13 lawyers when they tried to bring out a procession in the area. Of the arrestees, four were identified as former president of Dhaka Bar Association Khorshed Alam Mia, Moslem Khan, president of Shariatpur Bar Association, Jahirul Hasan Mukul and Masud Khandaker, members of Dhaka Bar Association. Earlier on Friday night, police dismantled a podium the lawyers erected to hold the rally. On May 18, Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum announced to hold a rally on the Supreme Court premises on Saturday to protest the killing of senior lawyer Chandan Sarker. BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was supposed to attend the rally as the chief guest. Chandan Sarker was killed late last month along with six other people in Narayanganj following their abduction. Among the six other killed was Nazrul Islam, a panel mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation, also a local leader of the ruling Awami League. — UNB, Dhaka.
