Staff Reporter :
The Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) has identified 387 audio and video links of obscene remarks of former State Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Dr Md Murad Hassan, in different social media and online platforms including YouTube and Facebook.
Among the links, 272 were found in Facebook and 115 in YouTube. The BTRC has requested the concerned organisations to remove the links.
Barrister Khandaker Reza E Raquib on behalf of the BTRC placed the information to the High Court Bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman.
The lawyer said Facebook in the meantime has removed 15 links and YouTube erased two links from their platforms.
Supreme Court lawyer Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman brought the matter of indecent remarks made by the former State Minister to the attention of the court and sought direction upon the BTRC to remove the links of the remarks.
Upon hearing on the issue, the same High Court Bench on Tuesday ordered the chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the obscene audio and video clips of former State Minister from all social media and online platforms, including YouTube and Facebook within 24 hours.
The concerned deputy attorney general was asked to report what action the BTRC takes according to the court order by Wednesday morning. Accordingly the case came to the cause-list on Wednesday.
Barrister Khandaker Reza E Raquib appeared in the court on behalf of the BTRC, while Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Suman appeared for his appeal and Deputy Attorney General Bepul Bagmar represented the state.
Later Barrister Raquib said, “The BTRC has started its work by forming a committee after the court order came to the notice. The committee has already noticed to the Facebook and YouTube. Among the 387 links indentified Facebook has removed 15 links and YouTube has removed 2 links. We hope the rest will be removed immediately.”
The lawyer said, “The court said the BTRC should have a vigilance team so that the BTRC can take action on its own over the issues. But we have said that the BTRC alone cannot do it. We have already drafted a resolution so that the BTRC can take action in this regard.”
Dr Murad had already resigned from his post on Tuesday at the command of the Prime Minister in the face of widespread criticism over the leaked audio and video clips though he cited ‘personal reasons’ in the letter.
