Joint forces arrested Sadiqur Rahman Lincoln, president of the Barisal District Lawyers’ Association, on Wednesday around 12:30 p.m. from a room on the third floor of the association’s annex building. Following the arrest, BNP-affiliated lawyers and association leaders staged protests in the court premises demanding his immediate release.

Earlier, on Monday, BNP-aligned lawyers had announced a boycott of court proceedings at the Barisal Chief Metropolitan and Additional Chief Metropolitan Courts in protest against the granting of bail to an Awami League leader. On Tuesday, they entered the courtroom, damaged benches, chairs, tables, and documents, and forced the judge to leave the bench amid chaos. Some participating lawyers were reportedly assaulted during the incident.

Leaders of the association condemned the arrest as a violation of legal norms, while the Nationalist Lawyers’ Forum threatened tougher programs if Lincoln was not released. The assistant public prosecutor of the Barisal District Judge Court also stated that lawyers would continue boycotting court activities until Lincoln’s release.