No lawyer will defend the accused in the much-discussed murder of Ishiat Shahriar Oprotim, Cumilla District Bar Association leaders said, adding that the decision was taken on humanitarian grounds.
They made the disclosure at a discussion between the Cumilla District Bar Association and Cumilla University administration at the university conference room around 5pm Tuesday.
Cumilla District Bar Association President Advocate Md Shahidullah and General Secretary Md Mahabobol Hoque Khandaker announced the decision at the meeting.
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr M M Shariful Karim, Pro-Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr Mohammad Amzad Hossain Sarker, Treasurer Prof Dr Mohammed Belal Uddin, teachers, officials, employees and students of different departments attended the meeting.
Public Prosecutor (PP) Advocate Kaimul Haque Rinku, GP Advocate Tarek Abdullah and other leaders of the Cumilla District Bar Association were also present.
Advocate Kaimul Haque Rinku said, “We have called upon the police administration to conduct a speedy and impartial investigation and submit an accurate charge sheet. The Bar Association will extend all-out cooperation to ensure that the trial process is not disrupted in any way.
District Bar Association President Advocate Md Shahidullah said, “The decision not to stand for the accused is not a decision taken through any formal written resolution. Rather, it is a principled position that has emerged among lawyers out of a sense of humanitarian responsibility in response to the brutality of the incident. However, as state-funded legal defence is available under existing law to ensure the legal rights of the accused, there will be no legal complication in the trial process.”
Vice-Chancellor Prof Dr M M Shariful Karim thanked the Bar Association leaders for standing beside the university.
“The actual cause of Oprotim’s murder and the role of every person involved must be uncovered through investigation. If there is any ambiguity regarding the accused’s ages, they must be determined through proper investigation and necessary tests. At the same time, if any criminal network or patron is found to be involved in the incident, they must also be brought to justice through investigation,” he said.
At the meeting, students demanded proper verification of the ages of the accused and, if necessary, determination of their actual ages through ossification tests and other medical examinations.
They also called for adequate lighting and installation of CCTV cameras in the Lalmia and Salmanpur areas, effective measures to control drugs and juvenile gangs, and stronger security and increased administrative patrols in Kotbari and areas adjacent to the university.
Meanwhile, at around 11:30am university students held a silent procession demanding a speedy trial in Apratim’s murder and implementation of their four-point demands.
The students’ four demands are: arresting the accused in Oprotim’s murder and completing the trial within 60 days with exemplary punishment; withdrawal of the Cumilla superintendent of police and the officers-in-charge of Adarsha Sadar and Sadar Dakshin police stations; establishing a permanent police outpost in the Cumilla University area and strengthening visible security measures; and forming an immediate response unit for missing persons.
Oprotim went missing on September 18 while taking photographs with his mother’s iPhone. His body was recovered from West Sananda in the Kotbari area the following day.