Dhaka, August 4, 2025 —
In a bold and urgent appeal to the country’s top jurist, renowned freedom fighter, human rights activist, and senior advocate of the Supreme Court, Zahirul Islam Khan Panna, has issued an open letter to Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, demanding immediate judicial action over the recent arrest of former Chief Justice A.B.M. Khairul Haque and the judiciary’s silence in the face of rising mob violence on court premises.
The letter, co-signed by Prof. S. M. Masum Billah, a visiting law professor in France and on leave from Jagannath University, expresses deep concern over the apparent erosion of judicial independence in Bangladesh.
The authors point out that Khairul Haque has been arrested based on false and politically motivated charges allegedly linked to his past rulings and the July 2024 uprising—accusations they deem “unbelievable and unacceptable.”
What adds to the growing alarm in the legal community is a recent trend of mob violence in court premises, where arrested individuals are being physically assaulted by onlookers and political agitators, often in front of law enforcement—without any visible response or condemnation from the judiciary. Despite complaints and growing discomfort among lawyers, the courts have remained largely silent on these public violations of due process.
Panna’s letter, posted publicly on his Facebook profile, calls for the Chief Justice to take suo motu cognizance of these developments, citing established legal precedent that grants the judiciary such authority in matters of public interest and constitutional concern.
“The arrest of a (former) Chief Justice is a clear violation of established statutory protections and principles of common law that safeguard judicial independence. This event, therefore, stands as a stain on our judicial culture,” the letter states.
It further warns that if such events are allowed to continue unchecked, the credibility and safety of the judiciary itself may be irreparably damaged, and the broader principles of the Liberation War—social justice, rule of law, and human dignity—will remain unfulfilled.
The letter ends with a heartfelt plea:
“We look to you alone. At the very least, we request that you address the invisible obstructions to Justice Khairul Haque’s bail, and that you open the path for a fair legal battle on his behalf. Only then can we see the rule of law truly prevail.”
This letter follows increasing calls from the legal community and civil society for the judiciary to reassert its independence in the face of an emboldened executive and what many see as a creeping authoritarianism under the interim regime. Critics fear that if the judiciary does not rise to the occasion, Bangladesh’s legal and democratic framework could suffer irreversible harm.
The letter has since gone viral on social media and is being widely circulated among legal professionals, civil rights groups, and members of the press.
Legal observers and human rights advocates are now closely watching to see whether the Supreme Court and Chief Justice Ahmed respond to this call to action—or maintain their current silence.
For media inquiries or reproduction of the letter, the signatories have granted full public circulation and urged all believers in the rule of law to amplify its message.
