The Six-point Demand Implementation Committee of Lawyers observed 'black day' and boycotted the courts yesterday protesting the attacks on lawyers on the Dhaka District Court premises by the ruling party activists on September 6.

They held a meeting at the Supreme Court Bar Association Hall in the afternoon and vowed to resist the amendment to the CPC that will come into force next month.

The amendment provides for fine and compensation for attempting to delay the process of trial by the counsel. Defaulting lawyers are to pay fine up to Tk 10,000 for delaying the process of trial by seeking adjournment of hearing without any valid ground.

It also provides for compensation ranging up to Tk 1 lakh payable to the state by anyone indulging in filing false case to harass his opponent.

The lawyers in the meeting alleged that the amendment to the CPC was intended to raise the government revenue from the court, which negates justice.

About the proposed amendment to the Bar Council Act, the lawyers said the government wants to use it as a rubber stamp to serve its own purpose. It will curb the autonomous status of the regulatory body of lawyers, they added.

Presided over by Abdul Baset Majumder, the meeting decided to announce the next course of action at a meeting of the Bar associations scheduled for September 26 in Dhaka.

After the meeting, the lawyers marched toward the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in a procession to submit a memorandum to the Speaker. But police intercepted the procession in front of Engineers Institution. Later, an 18-member delegation led by Baset Majumder was allowed to proceed towards parliament.