Litigants, lawyers feel insecure on M’ganj court premises

Installation of CC camera demanded
Md. Mozammel Hossain: Due to lack of security measures, the Munshiganj court area has become unsafe for litigants. In this connection, affected people have demanded installation of close circuit (CC) camera in the court area.

Litigants from six upazilas of the district face numerous hazards including insecurity while they come here seeking justice, according to field sources.

Besides insecurity, the inescapable hands of middlemen have turned the situation worse while motorcycle-theft has appeared as a major problem in the court area.

It was alleged that some lawyers are also involved in these crimes.

In this circumstance, the affected people including lawyers and litigants have demanded security in the Munshiganj court area, and they urged the authority concerned to install CC camera there to solve the problem.

When contacted, Police Super (SP) of Munshiganj Mohammad Jayedul Alam PPM said, “On-duty policemen in the court area check the people’s bodies and then permit them to enter the court. Besides, patrol police teams also remain on-duty in the area. But, sometimes the number of visitors in the court area increases when we face some problems. If the court area can be brought under CC camera network, the current insecure situation can be overcome.”

Inside the boundary of the Munshiganj court area, there are offices of the district and session’s judge and the deputy commissioner (DC). Besides these, there are government residences of the district and session’s judge and those of other judges and the DC.

But, from this highly secure area, the criminals are kidnapping people and turning their lives into hell, it has been alleged.

The motorcycle-theft has also increased in the court area. Earlier, there was a police check-post in the main entrance, but now no such check-post or other security measures are found in the court area, said lawyers and litigants.

Some policemen remain on-duty at the court’s jail where they remain busy to control the visiting relatives of the accused.

The situation is so worse that even the lawyers’ association and the police do not have any particular data about the criminal incidents which happen in the court area.

Around three to four months ago, a staff of a private television channel came to the Munshiganj court where he put his motorcycle and went inside. After coming out, he found his bike nowhere. In this connection, he filed a case with Sadar Police Station.

A lawyer Advocate Md Halim Hossen said, “Some days ago, some hired criminals tried to kidnap a litigant from the veranda of no. 1 cognizance court under the district and session’s court. At that time, I along with others rescued him and later filed a written complaint with the judge of the concerned court. Later, judge of the court Senior Judicial Magistrate Md Haidar Ali called in police and sent the litigant to his house under police safety.”

Finally on May 4 last, the criminals of rival party called in a litigant Shakil Bepari, 40, son of late Gony Bepari, of Purba Rakhi village under Sadar upazila, from the veranda of additional district magistrate’s court and tried to kill him by chopping and beating. At that time, people rescued and rushed him to Munshiganj General Hospital where he was given primary treatment and later he was referred to Dhaka Medical College Hospital. Now, he is under treatment at a private clinic in Narayanganj.

In this connection, Shakil’s brother Md Shamim Bepari filed a case accusing 6-7 people with Sadar Police Station on May 6 last. But, police could not arrest anybody in this connection.

Former President of Chhatra League, town unit and an eyewitness to the incident Md Malekun Maksud Bipul said, “Many people come to the court seeking justice but here they become victims. If CC camera could be installed in the court area, the problem would be solved.”

General Secretary (GS) of District Lawyers’ Association Advocate Sirajul Islam Poltu, former GS Advocate Md Masud Alam, lawyer and cultural activist Shahin Mohammad Amanullah said, the situation in the court area is insecure and they demanded installation of CC camera in the court area so that the criminals can be spotted quickly and brought to book.

Meanwhile, the lawyers have talked with District and Session’s Judge Mohammad Shawkat Ali Chowdhury and urged him to take immediate measures in this connection.

observerbd

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