Shahjahan Omar, a BNP-defector nominated by the Awami League from Jhalakathi-1, faced criticism from the pro-BNP lawyers at the Supreme Court premises, when he went there reportedly to meet Chief Justice Obaidul Hasan at noon.
However, an official from the Supreme Court administration said Shahjahan Omar did not have a scheduled meeting with the Chief Justice.
Besides, the Chief Justice was preoccupied with court duties and could not meet him, added the official.
Shahjahan came under criticism from the pro-BNP lawyers at around 12:30pm. At one stage of the argument, Supreme Court lawyer Shahjahan Omar left the association building in the face of strong criticism from pro-BNP lawyers, with some even labelling him as a 'traitor.'
Describing the incident, Adv Kamrul Islam Sajal, Organising Secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Ainjibi Forum, told the media, "Around noon, Shahjahan Omar sent one of his juniors to my chamber, urging me to visit his chamber.
I told his junior that I am not going to meet someone who is a betrayer."
"Then, Shahjahan Omar personally came to my chamber and started speaking loudly to me, asking, why I called him a betrayer," Sajal added.
A few policemen were with him at that time. They were outside the room. Shahjahan Omar asked Sajal why he was insulted, why his poster was torn.
Then Sajal taunted and said that he (Shahjahan Omar) cannot have any picture with Khaleda Zia.
A number of eyewitness lawyers said, after leaving Sajal's room, pro-BNP lawyer Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman Khan said to Shahjahan Omar that the accused in the attack case at the Chief Justice's residence roamed openly, he was also given police protection! Some say that they have brought the police as accused.
At one point, other lawyers chased him from my chamber. He exited and proceeded to the area near the coffee shop, where a group of lawyers surrounded him, chanting slogans against him."
A day after securing bail in an arson case, BNP Vice Chairman Shahjahan Omar on November 30 resigned from the party and submitted his nomination to run in the upcoming national elections as an Awami League candidate for the Jhalakati-1 constituency.
The Election Commission has declared Shahjahan Omar's nomination valid while rejected the nomination of Bazlul Haque Haroon, the seat's current lawmaker, as he submitted his nomination paper as an AL candidate but did not secure the party ticket in the end.
