Staff Reporter :
The Law Reporters’ Forum (LRF), an organization of the reporters of legal affairs on Tuesday sought immediate withdrawal of the Bangladesh Press Council’s statement barring the media from publishing arguments between judges and lawyers in court during the proceedings of sub-judice cases.
The leaders of the Forum said in a statement that the Press Council had wrongly
explained the verdict of the High Court delivered in this regard which was unexpected. The LRF also condemned the statement of the Press Council.
LRF President Wakil Ahmed Hiron and Secretary Nazmul Ahsan Raju said that the Press Council statement is similar to curb the freedom of press. The High Court didn’t pass such direction in its verdict, they also said.
On May 16 this year, the High Court Division’s Registrar Md Golam Rabbani issued a circular saying, “We are following recently that some electronic and print media are publishing news on sub-judice matter, which is absolutely unacceptable.”
“In this circumstance, everyone is requested by order not to publish news on any sub-judice matter,” also read the circular. Later on May 21, 2019, the Supreme Court administration said, “Reporting on ongoing cases, for which the court’s image and dignity become tarnished and the trial proceedings are influenced, is not expected.”
It said this in a notice issued to clarify its May 16 notification that had requested print and electronic media to refrain from reporting sub-judice cases.
After the Supreme Court administration’s clarification the reporters were reporting on the sub-judice matters like previous times. Earlier on April 9, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain told the LRF leaders in a courtesy meeting, “Write what you see in court.”
The LRF thinks the Press Council is not an authority to make such a statement.
The Law Reporters’ Forum (LRF), an organization of the reporters of legal affairs on Tuesday sought immediate withdrawal of the Bangladesh Press Council’s statement barring the media from publishing arguments between judges and lawyers in court during the proceedings of sub-judice cases.
The leaders of the Forum said in a statement that the Press Council had wrongly
explained the verdict of the High Court delivered in this regard which was unexpected. The LRF also condemned the statement of the Press Council.
LRF President Wakil Ahmed Hiron and Secretary Nazmul Ahsan Raju said that the Press Council statement is similar to curb the freedom of press. The High Court didn’t pass such direction in its verdict, they also said.
On May 16 this year, the High Court Division’s Registrar Md Golam Rabbani issued a circular saying, “We are following recently that some electronic and print media are publishing news on sub-judice matter, which is absolutely unacceptable.”
“In this circumstance, everyone is requested by order not to publish news on any sub-judice matter,” also read the circular. Later on May 21, 2019, the Supreme Court administration said, “Reporting on ongoing cases, for which the court’s image and dignity become tarnished and the trial proceedings are influenced, is not expected.”
It said this in a notice issued to clarify its May 16 notification that had requested print and electronic media to refrain from reporting sub-judice cases.
After the Supreme Court administration’s clarification the reporters were reporting on the sub-judice matters like previous times. Earlier on April 9, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain told the LRF leaders in a courtesy meeting, “Write what you see in court.”
The LRF thinks the Press Council is not an authority to make such a statement.
