Attack inside court premises

Why did the law enforcers not intervene sooner?

The attack on Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of a Bengali daily, inside the court premises in Kushtia, on July 22, is shocking and disturbing, to say the least. The attackers, allegedly members of the BCL, vandalised Rahman's car when he came out of the court house and got into the car. When he took shelter in a lawyer's room, the attackers burst into the room and assaulted him leaving his face and head bloodied. All this while, the law enforcers, responsible for keeping order within and outside the courtroom, remained silent bystanders.

Firstly, the person in question against whom a defamation case has been lodged went by the law and surrendered to the court and was granted bail. Yet he was attacked within the court premises. This in itself indicates that those who attacked him do not believe in the law or in the courts of the country. Rather, they have taken law into their own hands. How can this be acceptable in a democratic country?

Secondly, why did the law enforcers on duty allow such an attack to happen right in front of them? Are they so powerless that they do not dare to intervene when an obvious offense is taking place? We have seen the same stance of total indifference when quota reform activists were attacked by members of the BCL in recent weeks. The law enforcers are entrusted with the responsibility of stopping any kind of violence in the public domain. So why didn't they do their job?

In the case of the attack inside the court premises, we are not supporting any particular individual but emphasising the fact that this is an issue of protection of every citizen under law and upholding the law of the land and the honour of the courts. The government must intervene and put an end to this reprehensible practice by taking action against those responsible for the attack.

• Courtesy: The Daily Star /Editorial /Jul 24, 2018