Lawyers in Chattogram on Sunday demonstrated and locked the courtroom of the First Additional District Judge’s Court protesting alleged harassment and misconduct by court staff in the city.

Amid chaos, all the staff of the First Additional District Judge’s Court were immediately withdrawn over the harassment of a lawyer.

According to court sources, bench assistant Saifuddin Parvez demanded money from lawyer Monjur Alam when he went to the court on Thursday to check some documents of a case.

When the lawyer refused to bribe, Parvez along with other staff of the court used abusive words at Monjur and made insulting comments about lawyers in general.

At one point of the altercation, the bench assistant and the other staff attacked Monjur, leaving him injured. As the court was closed on Friday and Saturday, the lawyers demonstrated and locked the courtroom and demanded action on Sunday.

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Upon receiving the information, Chattogram District Lawyer’s Association President Abu Mohammad Hashem and General Secretary AHM Zia Uddin along with other leaders rushed to the court and brought the matter before Chattogram District and Sessions Judge Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan, who then withdrew Parvez and his accomplices.

“Lawyers of the Judge’s Court are being harassed regularly by the court staff when they try to do their work. Court staff demand money from us whenever we go to check files, submit bail bonds or confirm bails from the High Court, and we are insulted if we refuse to pay. This can’t go on,” said Advocate TR Khan, Chairman of Jagrata Ainjibi Parishad.