usticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) expresses deep concern and strong condemnation regarding the recent legal proceedings involving Mr. Salman F Rahman, private industry and investment adviser to former Prime Minister and former law minister Advocate Anisul Huq in Dhaka, Bangladesh. The developments surrounding their arrest and subsequent treatment in the courtroom on August 14, 2024, are alarming and indicative of a politically motivated misuse of the legal system.
According to a report published in The Daily Star today on August 15, 2024, Mr. Rahman and Mr. Huq were placed on a 10-day remand by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mamunur Rashid on yesterday August 14, 2024, in connection with a case over the death of a shopkeeper in New Market on July 16, 2024. It is deeply troubling that during the court proceedings, pro-BNP-Jamaat lawyers actively prevented any legal representation for the accused. Two lawyers who bravely attempted to represent Mr. Rahman and Advocate Huq were not only denied entry into the courtroom but were also subjected to physical assault by unruly BNP-Jamaat lawyers.
Additionally, the fact that both Mr. Rahman and Advocate Huq were denied the basic right to speak in their own defense during a hearing that lasted a mere three minutes is a grave violation of justice and human rights. The subsequent attack on their legal representatives and the public humiliation through the throwing of eggs at the accused on the court premises further underscores the politically motivated nature of this case.
Mr. Robert Simon, Chief Adviser of JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF), strongly states, “The actions taken against Mr. Rahman and Advocate Huq are not only a blatant disregard for the rule of law but also a dangerous precedent of political persecution. The right to a fair trial, including legal representation and the opportunity to defend oneself, is fundamental in any democratic society.”
