District lawyers protest against ‘false’ statements
A human chain and protest rally were held in Kishoreganj to protest what lawyers described as false, misleading and defamatory statements made against Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan, a six-time elected general secretary of the Kishoreganj District Lawyers Association and a senior lawyer.
Demanding withdrawal of the relevant statement, the lawyers said that any attempt to undermine the professional and social status of a lawyer would not be accepted in any way.
The human chain and protest rally were held at the premises of the Kishoreganj Chief Judicial Magistrate Court building on Thursday at the initiative of lawyers from different walks of life of the District Lawyers Association.
The lawyers alleged during the human chain that false and defamatory statements were made involving Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan on September 28.
focusing on the Panchkahnia (Bhugli) River in Baribari Union of Itna upazila in the district. They claimed that the statement contained allegations and comments that could tarnish the social and professional image of a lawyer.
The speakers at the protest rally said that a lawyer is not only entitled to personal identity; his social and professional status as a professional associated with the judiciary is also important.
If there is a complaint against someone, it should be presented through the proper legal process with information and evidence. They said it is in no way acceptable to humiliate someone by making a public statement without verification.
They said that if there is a complaint against a person, there are courts and relevant legal institutions where the complaint can be presented and resolved. But trying to socially humiliate someone through one-sided public statements or campaigns is not consistent with the spirit of justice, they added.
The speakers also said that Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan has been associated with the legal profession for a long time and has been elected general secretary of the District Lawyers Association six times.
If there was any complaint against him, it could have been presented to the relevant authorities. Instead, they claimed, defamatory statements were made about him publicly.
The human chain and protest rally demanded the withdrawal of the alleged false and defamatory statements made against Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan. At the same time, the speakers called for the verification of information and evidence and adherence to proper legal procedures when raising complaints against any person in the future.
The lawyers said that if a complaint is made against someone, the person should be given an opportunity to defend himself. They said it is not desirable to publicly humiliate someone through one-sided statements or propaganda. Legal procedures should be followed to determine the truth of any complaint.
The speakers at the protest rally also said that if the professional status and honour of a member of the legal community are questioned, the matter is not limited to the personal level; the image of the entire legal community is also involved. As a result, lawyers will not remain silent in such incidents, they said.
Lawyers participating in the human chain said that the recent incident surrounding the Panchkahnia (Bhugli) River in Baribari Union of Itna upazila has sparked various statements and counter-statements about Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan. The issue has now also generated discussions in the courts, they said.
They said that if anyone has any claims or objections regarding rivers, water bodies, land or any other issue, these should be resolved through the relevant administrative and legal authorities. If any person is targeted with propaganda or defamatory statements, it is a matter of concern for the legal community, they added.
More than a hundred lawyers, including PP Advocate Sajjadul Haque of the Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal, APP Advocate Jasmine Sultana Kabita, APP Advocate Nadira Sultana Kabita, APP Advocate Liton Helali, APP Advocate Abdullah Al Bukhari, Advocate Mir Shakhawat Hossain and Advocate Waliullah Rabbani Toukis, were present at the protest rally.
Earlier, at the human chain held on September 28, the leaseholder of the Jalmahal, Md Farhad, accused Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan of demanding money. He alleged that after obtaining the lease of the Jalmahal, Advocate Aminul Islam Ratan called him and demanded Tk 50 lakh. He also claimed that he was threatened with being removed from the Jalmahal if he did not pay the money.
