A physical altercations erupted between legal representatives aligned with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) and Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday afternoon within the premises of the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court, temporarily disrupting judicial proceedings during the bail hearing of retired Major Akhtaruzzaman.

The confrontation began shortly after 2:00 pm, when Akhtaruzzaman was brought to the courtroom under strict police security following the completion of a one-day remand. Tensions flared almost immediately as rival groups of lawyers jostled over physical positioning inside the courtroom and disputed who should lead the submission for the defense. What started as sharp verbal sparring swiftly degenerated into repeated shouting matches and physical scuffles, spreading from inside the bench area out into the public corridors.

As order within the room dissolved, the presiding magistrate was forced to temporarily leave the bench. Court personnel and senior members of the bar eventually managed to pacify the opposing factions, enabling the judicial session to resume after a brief suspension.

Once the hearing recommenced, the defense team submitted a formal prayer seeking bail for the accused, while state prosecutors strongly opposed the motion, citing the nature of the charges and requesting that the defendant remain in custody. After considering arguments from both sides, the court rejected the bail petition and ordered Akhtaruzzaman to be remanded to prison under judicial custody.

The incident highlights the longstanding political divisions that frequently spill over into Bangladesh’s legal fraternity. Both the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami maintain highly organised, politically active lawyer associations that regularly represent high-profile political figures and former military officers involved in legal proceedings. When sensitive or politically charged cases come up for hearing, crowded courtrooms and heightened partisan interests routinely create volatile conditions.

While security personnel managed to regain control without any severe injuries reported, the public clash inside the capital’s primary magistrate court complex has raised fresh concerns among court users and legal professionals regarding courtroom decorum, judicial safety, and the preservation of order during high-stakes hearings.