In a stark display of political polarization gripping Bangladesh’s legal circles, a group of lawyers supporting the Awami League was pushed back by rivals during nomination proceedings at the Chittagong District Bar Association on May 4. The confrontation highlights deepening rifts following the party’s downfall, with bar elections becoming battlegrounds for settling scores.
The incident occurred at the entrance to the bar library, a key venue for picking up forms ahead of the May 21 executive committee vote. Abdur Rashid, vying for the president’s post with his ‘Ordinary Enagi Parishad’ panel, led the delegation. According to reports from The Daily Star citing witnesses, BNP-aligned lawyers physically obstructed them, leading to chaos. Bar election officials locked the doors, fueling on-site demonstrations.
‘We tried to get our nomination papers but were denied entry,’ lamented Fakhruddin Jabed, the aspiring general secretary. He drew parallels to previous polls where his group was similarly sidelined. Echoing this, Kamarul Islam Chowdhury of the Enagi Forum’s local chapter noted the inhospitable atmosphere for any Awami League involvement.
Patterns of discrimination are evident nationwide. Dhaka Bar’s April 29-30 elections excluded Awami League candidates entirely, as did those in Barishal and Manikganj. In Cumilla, participant Golam Faruk endured threats that stifled campaigning. The Supreme Court Bar Association’s purge of 42 candidates over suspected party links has sparked global outrage, questioning the neutrality of these professional polls.
With elections looming, the legal community grapples with how ideological loyalties are trumping merit and fairness. Observers warn that such exclusions could erode public trust in the judiciary, urging reforms to safeguard democratic participation within bar associations.
