Legal proceedings at the Faridpur Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) court came to a standstill on Wednesday as lawyers began an indefinite boycott of CJM Selim Reza’s courtroom. The protest, sparked by allegations of professional misconduct and derogatory behavior, has left hundreds of litigants in deep distress.
The District Bar Association decided on the boycott during an emergency meeting on Tuesday after at least 14 lawyers reported being insulted by the judge. According to the lawyers, CJM Selim Reza has imposed arbitrary restrictions on legal procedures, including meeting clients and filing powers of attorney (Vokalatnama), which deviate from long-standing practices. “He frequently belittles lawyers in open court and has even threatened to cancel professional licenses,” a senior advocate stated.
Jasimuudin Mridha, General Secretary of the Bar Association, confirmed that the boycott will continue until the issues are addressed by higher authorities. While the lawyers remain firm on their stance, the judicial stalemate has caused a massive backlog, with many people from remote areas waiting for hours at the court premises without legal representation.