Over 200 lawyers in Bangladesh affiliated with the Awami League have faced bans from participating in 13 bar association elections since January, as reported by local media. Despite attempts to run as independent candidates, they were obstructed from submitting nomination papers, with many nominations being canceled by the bar associations. The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) is preparing for a two-day election starting Wednesday amid concerns regarding restrictions on pro-Awami League lawyers.
Recently, the SCBA rejected the nomination papers of 42 out of 90 candidates for the upcoming elections, citing alleged ties to the Awami League. Legal experts and rights activists have criticized the exclusion of pro-Awami League lawyers from bar association elections, stating that it undermines democratic principles and goes against constitutional rights of association. Manzill Murshid, a Supreme Court lawyer in Bangladesh, highlighted that the issue extends beyond a single party and raises broader questions about democratic practices within professional organizations.
Expressing disapproval of the restrictions, another Supreme Court lawyer, Sara Hossain, emphasized that the right to contest professional body elections is closely linked to the freedom of association and expression. Stressing the significance of professional values over political affiliations, Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir called for a fair and open environment for inclusive elections. Recent reports have also surfaced of pro-Awami League lawyers accusing Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-backed lawyers of hindering and attacking them while trying to collect nomination papers for an upcoming bar association election.
The incidents of alleged discrimination against legal professionals and the disqualification of pro-Awami League lawyers from bar association elections based on political grounds in various districts of Bangladesh have garnered international attention and criticism from the global community.
