Lockdown lowers lawyers’ income largely

The COVID-19 pandemic has dealt a severe blow to the financial strengths of law firms of Bangladesh, just by halving their incomes.

Legal practitioners claimed that due to the pandemic and lockdown law firms are experiencing economic crises largely like others.

“Many of our colleagues lost their jobs due to this pandemic. Besides, law firms already reduced the salaries of the legal practitioners too,’’ said Supreme Court lawyer Advocate Mehedi Hasan, who is also working at Hossain and Associates.

“Before the pandemic our practitioners earned more than Tk 1 lakh per month which has reduced more than 50% during this time” he added.

He also said that before the pandemic around thirty to fifty cases a month were received in our firm and now the number is only two or three.

“Few of my known professionals already changed their profession after this pandemic due the economic crisis,” he added.

“In the previous year both the Supreme Court Bar Association and Dhaka Bar Association provided loans to the pandemic-affected lawyers without interest but this year no decision has been taken in this matter so far,” said Mehedi Hasan.

“Our chamber reduced the salary of our employee after the pandemic hit. Many employees of our chamber also lost their jobs.” told Barrister Habibur Rahman, a senior associate at The Legal Care.

“The income of our chambers obviously reduced during this pandemic. After the new lockdown our chamber and courts are completely closed that also hit the lawyers in the pocket. Even virtual courts are also not operating now,” he added.

He also said that the number of litigations nosedived in our corporate chamber during this COVID-19 situation.

“Legal practitioners are economically affected during this pandemic. Even the virtual courts are not operating now so we have no option to earn,” said Supreme Court lawyer Niaz Muhammad Mahboob.

“During the last year, we took initiative for the lawyers. This year I urge the authorities concerned to stay beside the lawyers who need economic support,” said Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary Ruhul Kuddus Kajal.

Advocate Robiul Islam, who is currently practicing in the lower court, claimed that around 27,000 lawyers are currently working in the lower court.

“Lockdown creates a negative impact over our profession and we are left in the lurch,” he added.

Earlier on May 10 last year, the Supreme Court gave directives to conduct virtual court proceedings in the Appellate Division, High Court Division, and the subordinate courts and tribunals.

The government enforced a countrywide lockdown for a week from April 5 and asked the traders and shopping mall owners to keep their shops closed.

Later, on April 8, the Cabinet Division issued a circular saying that shopping malls and shops across the country will remain open from 9am till 5pm, maintaining health guidelines from April 9 to April 13.

Now government is planning to place the country on strict lockdown from April 14, sparing the emergency services including operation of medicine shops, super shops and kitchen markets.

nh/wi