A courtroom exchange over a Tk 1 million penalty has taken an unexpected turn, with Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury and the full Appellate Division bench walking out.

The incident took place around 12:30pm on Tuesday, after which the court did not resume, officials said.

The five-member bench also included Justices Md Rezaul Haque, SM Emdadul Hoque, Farah Mahbub and Md Habibul Gani.

Attorney General Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque and Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon later described the events to reporters.

The Dispute

The Appellate Division had fined petitioner Md Nur Alam and lawyer Sufia Ahmed Tk 500,000 each for filing multiple petitions over the same matter and allegedly withholding information about earlier proceedings.

The money was ordered deposited with Dhaka Shishu Hospital within 30 days.

Kazal said Khokon was absent when the order was delivered, while Sufia Ahmed, who was sitting beside him, repeatedly said: “Brother Khokon put me in such trouble.”

Khokon later asked the chief justice to waive Sufia’s penalty, saying: “A junior lawyer, giving Tk [500,000] costs is far too much, it should be waived.”

He said he raised the issue “in the interest of justice”, arguing that while lawyers may win or lose cases, Tk 500,000 was excessive for a junior lawyer.

Khokon then raised concerns over declining litigation and lawyers’ incomes, saying: “I told the chief justice that after you became the chief justice, there hasn’t really been much litigation in the Appellate Division. Lawyers’ incomes have fallen.”

He said he was referring to fewer hearings because the number of benches had fallen.

The chief justice responded that his remarks were “absolutely tantamount to contempt of court” and then left the bench.

Khokon said there had been no “argument” with the chief justice and that representing lawyers’ interests was his duty.

The underlying dispute dates to 2013 and concerns the appointment of a marriage registrar.

Additional Attorney General Aneek said repeated petitions concealed earlier rulings, leading to the penalties.