Bangladesh Judicial Service Association (BJSA) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the government to meet two key demands, warning that judges across the country will observe a work stoppage from Sunday (16 November) if the demands remain unaddressed.

The warning was delivered in a statement signed by BJSA President Md Amirul Islam and General Secretary Muhammad Mazharul Islam on Friday.

The ultimatum comes in the wake of a brutal attack on the Rajshahi residence of Metropolitan Sessions Judge Mohammad Abdur Rahman. His son, Tausif Rahman Suman, was fatally stabbed by an assailant, while his wife, Tasmin Nahar, sustained serious injuries.

One of the demands calls for strict action against the police personnel allegedly responsible for negligence in ensuring the security of a judge in Rajshahi and for what the BJSA described as “unprofessional conduct” in presenting an arrested suspect before the media unlawfully.

The association said that unless both demands are met within 48 hours, judges nationwide will lay down their pens in protest.

Expressing profound grief and outrage, the BJSA said the entire judiciary has been “shocked and speechless” by the killing. The association prayed for the departed soul and conveyed deep sympathy to the bereaved family.

The BJSA said judges across the country are “seething with anger” over the incident, which they described as a grim consequence of the state's longstanding failure to ensure adequate protection for members of the judiciary and their families.

The statement pointed out that despite repeated letters from the Supreme Court, the government has taken “no visible measures” to secure court premises, judges’ residences, vehicles and official compounds.

It further noted that many district-level judges lack proper government accommodation and transport, forcing them to live in rented homes and travel by rickshaw, van or even on foot. The condition of judges serving in sub-ordinate courts is “even more dire”, the BJSA added.

“This persistent indifference and gross negligence towards the judiciary have long been highlighted, yet the state has taken no effective steps. The tragic incident that befell the judge’s family is a direct result of these failures,” the statement said. “Judges remain devoted to ensuring the safety of the state and its people, but the state has failed to ensure their safety. There is no way to avoid responsibility for this bloodshed,” the statement added.