Today, on April 21, 2025, six senior members of the Comilla Bar Association—including former presidents and secretaries—were ordered into judicial custody by Senior District and Sessions Judge Md. Mahbubur Rahman. Among those detained are Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Liton, Advocate Jahangir Alam Bhuiyan, Advocate Zakir Hossain, and Advocate Saiful Islam. These individuals are not only distinguished members of the legal profession but also long-standing defenders of justice, constitutional rights, and human dignity in their communities.
JMBF strongly believes the arrest stems from a case filed six months after the alleged incident, initiated by a student activist affiliated with the anti-discrimination movement. The charges—which include allegations of violence and conspiracy—were lodged under highly questionable circumstances and without transparent, credible evidence. Even more alarming is the treatment of these lawyers in public: as they were being escorted to the prison van, they were pelted with eggs by politically affiliated mobs, allegedly linked to BNP-Jamaat and NCP groups. One egg struck former Bar President Mostafizur Rahman Liton. This public assault represents a deeply troubling act of political vengeance, executed in full view of the authorities, with no visible effort made to protect the dignity of the detained.
JMBF views these events as a blatant violation of the Constitution of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, which guarantees every citizen the right to equality before the law (Article 27), protection from arbitrary arrest and detention (Article 33), and the freedom to practice a lawful profession (Article 40). These constitutional guarantees are non-negotiable—even during political transitions—and form the backbone of democratic governance and the rule of law.
As a State Party to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Bangladesh is also internationally obligated to ensure due process, fair trials, and protection against arbitrary and politically motivated detention. Article 14 of the ICCPR guarantees the right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty by an independent tribunal, and Article 9 strictly prohibits arbitrary arrest or detention. The events in Comilla represent a clear and dangerous breach of these obligations.
Of equal concern is the gross disregard shown for the United Nations Basic Principles on the Role of Lawyers, which affirm that lawyers must be allowed to carry out their duties without intimidation, harassment, or state interference. The targeted arrest and public humiliation of these legal professionals strike at the very heart of an independent justice system. When lawyers are punished for their affiliations, beliefs, or professional roles, justice itself is under attack.
Robert Simon, prominent French human rights advocate and Chief Adviser to JMBF, stated, “What is unfolding under the interim administration led by Professor Muhammad Yunus raises serious alarms about the direction of Bangladesh’s transitional governance. The role of an interim government is to maintain neutrality, uphold civil liberties, and protect state institutions—not to weaponize the judiciary and law enforcement against dissenters. The recent actions in Comilla suggest a calculated attempt to silence those who stand for justice, equity, and the rule of law—including members of the legal community who have long challenged discrimination and authoritarianism.”
Advocate Shahanur Islam, renowned Bangladeshi human rights lawyer and Founder-President of JMBF, added, “The inclusion of 32 lawyers from the Comilla Bar Association among 261 named accused—alongside 150 to 200 unnamed individuals—shows an alarming pattern of systemic targeting of legal professionals. This is not merely an attack on individuals but on the very principle of legal independence. It sends a chilling message to all advocates: that defending the rule of law now comes at the cost of personal liberty.”
In response, JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) urgently calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the six imprisoned lawyers and the full withdrawal of the baseless charges against them. We further demand an independent and impartial investigation into the filing of the case, the conduct of the police and judiciary, and the security failures that allowed political mobs to publicly attack legal professionals.
JMBF also urges the interim government to reaffirm its commitment to the Constitution and its obligations under international human rights law. It must protect, not persecute, those who uphold justice and the rule of law.
Finally, we call upon the United Nations, international legal institutions, the European Union, and all democratic governments to raise this issue through formal diplomatic and human rights channels and to hold the current interim authorities accountable for these violations.
In times of transition, a nation's moral compass is tested not by how it treats the powerful, but by how it protects its defenders of justice. Bangladesh must not silence its lawyers—for without them, the path to a peaceful, democratic, and lawful future is lost.
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF) is closely monitoring developments and stands firmly in solidarity with the victims of this grave injustice.
For further inquiries:
Mosa. Jannatul Ferdaus
Chief Coordinator & Executive Committee Member
JusticeMakers Bangladesh in France (JMBF)
Email: jannatul.ferdaus@jmbf.org
Web: www.jmbf.org
Fact in Brief (According to information received from JMBF's reliable sources and reports published in various news media in Bangladesh)
Six Lawyers Sent to Jail Over Fabricated Case on Attack During Anti-Discrimination Student Movement in Comilla
On Monday, April 21, 2025, Comilla's Senior District and Sessions Judge Md. Mahbubur Rahman ordered six lawyers to be sent to jail in connection with what is being described as a fabricated case filed over an attack during the anti-discrimination student movement in Comilla last year.
The lawyers sent to jail include: former president of the Comilla Bar Association Advocate Mostafizur Rahman Liton, former general secretary Advocate Jahangir Alam Bhuiyan, Advocate Zakir Hossain, and Advocate Saiful Islam.
As the lawyers were being escorted to the prison van, unruly crowds—allegedly affiliated with BNP-Jamaat and the NCP—threw eggs at them. One egg struck former bar president Mostafizur Rahman Liton on the head. Later, under tight security provided by the army, they were quickly placed into the van and taken to jail.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), on August 3, 2024, during ongoing anti-discrimination protests in Comilla’s Police Lines area, students and members of the public came under violent attack involving gunfire, cocktail explosions, and physical assaults. A case was subsequently filed naming 261 individuals, along with 150 to 200 unidentified persons.
In what has been widely seen as a politically motivated move, the names of 32 lawyers from the Comilla Bar Association were also included among the accused, alongside several leaders and activists of the Awami League.
On February 11, 2025—six months after the alleged incident—Md. Injamul Haque Rana, son of Md. Amir Hossain from Dumuria Chanpur in Comilla Sadar an organizer of the anti-discrimination student movement, filed the case at Kotwali Model Police Station.
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JMBF is an independent non-profit, nonpartisan human rights organization registered in France with registration number W931027714 under the association law of 1901, dedicated to defending human rights, fighting for justice, and empowering communities in Bangladesh and beyond.
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