ঢাকা ট্রিবিউন সংবাদপত্রে প্রকাশিত প্রথম লেখা: Restoring the lost glory of law profession

০৩ রা এপ্রিল, ২০১৪ দুপুর ১:৪২

৩ মার্চ ২০১৪ বৃহস্পতিবার দুপুর ১:৫০ এয়ারটেল অফিস পিঙ্কসিটি গুলশান- ২ ঢাকা



প্রিয় মৃন্ময়ী,



সপ্তাহখানেক আগে বার কাউন্সিল ও আইন ব্যবসার বাজে অবস্থা নিয়ে তীব্র প্রতিক্রিয়া জানিয়ে ফেসবুকে একটি স্ট্যাটাস দিয়েছিলাম। গত ১১ মার্চ ২০১৪ আব্দুল্লাহ আল আরিফ নামের জনৈক ব্যক্তি আমাকে ইনবক্সে মেসেজ পাঠালেন। জানালেন যে, তিনি ঢাকা বিশ্ববিদ্যালয়ের ৩২তম ব্যাচের ছাত্র; বর্তমানে ঢাকা ট্রিবিউন পত্রিকার জুরিস পেজের সম্পাদনার দায়িত্বে আছেন। আমার ফেসবুকে প্রদত্ত স্ট্যাটাসটি তার দৃষ্টিগোচর হয়েছে এবং তিনি চান আমি যেন তার পত্রিকায় বার কাউন্সিল ও আইনপেশার শোচনীয় অবস্থা তুলে ধরে ৮০০ শব্দের মধ্যে একটি লেখা দেই।



৩/৪ দিনের মাথায় প্রায় ১ হাজার শব্দের একটি লেখা জমা দেই। তিনি লেখাটির বেশ প্রশংসা করলেন। তবে এও বললেন যে, আমি সরাসরি আক্রমণ করে লিখেছি বার কাউন্সিলকে। এটা পত্রিকার জন্য সমস্যা হতে পারে। বার কাউন্সিল প্রতিবাদপত্র পাঠাতে পারে। সুতরাং তিনি লেখাটিকে পরিমার্জন করে একটু 'সুইটনেস' দিতে চান। আমি বললাম আমি যা লিখেছি, সবই সত্য। এখন আপনার সম্পাদনা করে প্রকাশ করার সিদ্ধান্ত একান্তই আপনার।



যাই হোক, অবশেষে আজ আমার লেখা প্রকাশিত হল। ঢাকা ট্রিবিউন পত্রিকার সপ্তম পৃষ্ঠায় এক-তৃতীয়াংশ পৃষ্ঠা জুড়ে লেখাটি প্রকাশিত হয়েছে। প্রকাশিত লেখাটি পড়ে মনে হয়েছে, আমার মূল আর্টিকেলটি ছিল 'ছুড়ি'; আরিফ ভাই সেটিকে 'মিছরির ছুড়ি' বানিয়েছেন।



আর হ্যাঁ, কোনো ইংরেজি পত্রিকায় প্রকাশিত এটাই আমার প্রথম আর্টিকেল। কৃতজ্ঞতা আরিফ ভাইর প্রতি।



Restoring the lost glory of law profession



Omar Hasan Al Zahid





There is a well-known saying among the general people in Bangladesh that a person who has nothing to do becomes a lawyer.



Lawyers are social engineers who provide legal support to the public. They play an important role in establishing rule of law in the country. Generally, lawyers enjoy higher social status all over the world. In the developed countries, only the brilliant students with outstanding results can avail the opportunity to study law and subsequently, if qualified, become lawyers.



But unfortunately, we see a worsening scenario in Bangladesh. There is a well-known saying among the general people in Bangladesh that a person who has nothing to do becomes a lawyer. Becoming an advocate seems to be the easiest profession in Bangladesh. Anybody having an LLB degree from any institute (be it from any of the self-styled private universities or substandard evening colleges, barring exceptions), may appear in the enrolment examinations conducted by the Bangladesh Bar Council and becomes an advocate set for legal practice.



Nowadays, most of the advocates try to make money by hook or by crook. Hardly do they care about the dignity, ethics, and traits of this noble profession. They do not always follow the professional conducts and etiquettes expected to be followed by a legal practitioner.



The situation becomes very despicable when one finds out that many of the advocates even do not possess the basic knowledge of law. Nevertheless, they are “learned” advocates! Thus, these so-called advocates are contributing to lowering the dignity of the community of lawyers. Consequently, general people do not pay due respect to this profession any more.



The Bar Council of Bangladesh is responsible to a great extent for such mortifying situation. The Bar Council is a statutory, autonomous body constituted under the Bangladesh Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Order, 1972. The key functions of the Bar Council are:



(i) To admit persons as advocates on its roll and to hold examinations for the purpose of admission



(ii) To entertain and determine the cases of misconduct against advocates and to order punishment in such cases



(iii) To lay down standard of professional conduct and etiquette for advocates



(iv) To promote legal education and to lay down standard of such education in consultation with the universities in Bangladesh imparting legal education



Lately, there have been innumerous allegations of corruption against the Bar Council. There are rumours that only a handsome bribe is enough to get a licence to practise law. Again, nobody can prevent someone from being an enrolled advocate, if he is politically recommended.



The enrolment examination conducted by the Bar Council faces allegations of serious mismanagement. Question papers leaking out before examinations is happening every now and then. In fact, leak-out of question paper of various public examinations have become a common phenomenon. Previously, to become an advocate, one had to give a written examination and an interview. In 2012, along with written test and interview, another layer of examination was introduced as a preliminary test. It was a good step indeed to maintain the standard.



However, that did not prove to be very effective. Now many examinees get the correct answers through messages in their cell-phones at the examination halls in absence of proper invigilation. Taking the opportunity of poor invigilation, the examinees talk to each other during the examination and grab the correct answers easily.



Widespread copying in the written examination is also alleged by many examinees who once appeared in the examination. In many cases, the examinees pass the examinations adopting unfair means. Thus, many ineligible persons pass the enrolment examinations and become advocates, who ultimately show appalling performances in dealing with clients and conducting cases, and upset the dignity of legal profession.



Legal practitioners are closely involved in politics all over the world. The Bar Council consists of 15 members, of whom 14 members are elected by the advocates, and the Attorney General for Bangladesh is the ex-officio chairman of the Bar Council. The committees of the local bar associations are also elected by the advocates.



Undoubtedly, this is a commendable democratic practice. However, the reality of Bangladesh is that no sector is free from the clutch of dirty politics. Division is everywhere. The Bar Council is not an exception to that. The Attorney General for Bangladesh is always appointed on political consideration by the party in power. The members are also elected based on their political affiliations.



The problem becomes acute when the standards of being an advocate are compromised intentionally to serve the purpose of winning the election, the ultimate consequence of which is nothing but lowering the standard of this profession.



It is an open secret that there are huge political recommendations for partisan candidates to be enrolled as advocates. Specially after passing the preliminary and the written examination, a number of candidates lobby to influential partisan advocates for passing the interview anyhow.



Given the picture drawn above, members of legal fraternity are highly concerned. Many believe that it is the Bar Council, which can come forward to prevent the deteriorating situation of the law profession. The Bar Council can look into the allegations made against it and prevent them from occurring in the future. A month-long intensive training program should be introduced for the newly enrolled advocates to acquaint themselves with the professional conduct and etiquettes.



The Bar Council should also broaden the syllabus of enrollment examinations and monitor the standard of the legal education given by the private universities and evening colleges. This way, the Bar Council can contribute to upholding the dignity of this profession. If the Bar Council takes these abovementioned steps sincerely, the lost esteem of this profession can be restored among the general people.



Omar Hasan Al Zahid is an Advocate, Judge Court, Dhaka.

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