Contempt of court: SC excuses 6 pro-BNP lawyers from personal appearance

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court today excused six pro-BNP lawyers from personal appearances before court in connection with a contempt of court petition filed against them for making “slanderous, derogatory and contemptuous” comments about the then two apex court judges.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed set August 25 for further hearing on the petition.
Following the contempt of court petition on November 15 last year, the Appellate Division issued a notice and summons order against seven pro-BNP lawyers for making “slanderous, derogatory and contemptuous” comments about two apex court judges.
Six of them today appeared before the Appellate Division in compliance with its previous order and sought exemption of personal appearance before it.
The seven lawyers are Md Kayser Kamal, Fahima Nasrin, Md Abdul Jabbar Bhuiyan, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Khan and Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal.
Advocate Abdul Jamil Mohammad Ali (known as AJ Mohammad Ali) died in May, so he was exempted from the case.
SC lawyer Md Nazmul Huda on August 29 last year submitted the contempt petition to the apex court praying for drawing the contempt of court proceedings against the seven lawyers and to punish them for their comments about the then two SC judges.
Senior Advocate Zainul Abedin appeared for the six lawyers while Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman represented the state during the hearing today.