Two law experts today strongly criticised driving out journalists from the courtroom before recording of witness depositions in Narayanganj seven-murder case.
According to former law minister Shafique Ahmed and Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik, state prosecutors have no right to comment on whether journalists can stay or not stay at the courtroom, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reports.
“This is a very weird incident. It is common that journalists will remain present and perform their duties during witness deposition. The public prosecutor has no right to give any such directive that journalists cannot stay,” the report quoted Shafique Ahmed as saying.
A judge can pass such directives for certain reasons, the former law minister said.
Echoing him, Shahdeen Malik said that it should be investigated why the PP had made such comments. “Who is he to make such directives?”
“Journalists have no barrier to perform their duties in such cases,” Malik added.
A Narayanganj court today started recording statements of witnesses in sensational seven-murder case.
Few minutes before the judge took his seat, Public Prosecutor Wajed Ali Khokon told everybody present at the courtroom that as per a court directive none but the complainants, accused, their lawyers and court officials concerned was necessary to remain present at the courtroom, reports our Narayanganj correspondent.
Later, all the journalists present there were driven out.
Judge Syed Enayet Hossain of Narayanganj District and Sessions Judge’s Court started recording deposition around 10:00am, reports our district correspondent.
Earlier in the morning, 23 accused including prime accused Noor Hossain and three former Rab officials Tareque Sayeed Mohammad, Maj Arif Hossain and Lt Commander MM Rana were produced before the court.
This is becoming an interesting issue. The RAB officer involved is the son in law of a top Awami League leader. These guys were not even taken for remand. The son in law (Col. Tareque) went to court by the side of an police escort rather than having chains and hard hats and other stuff for normal criminals. He was treated like a political leader. This guy is big criminal just like the family members of this minister (his father in law). Now Tareque is in hospital enjoying life whereas he should be in solitary confinement. The degree of the crime is so heavy that he should get a 14 days remand. Eventually he will probably come out of jail. Thanks to the bigwigs of Awami League.