The High Court has dropped off the contempt of court proceedings against two Bangla dailies ‘Dainik Samakal’ and ‘Naya Diganta’ and president-general secretaries of four journalist organisations.
The bench of Justices Naima Haider and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order on Wednesday afternoon.
The journalists are Dhaka Reporters Unity president Shahed Chowdhury, general secretary Elias Khan; Barisal Division Journalists’ Association president Abdur Rahman and general secretary Elias Khan; Dhaka University Journalists’ Association president MM Jasim and general secretary Saddam Hossain; Jagannath University Journalists’ Association president Kazi Mobarak Hossain and secretary M Suzaul Islam.
Of them, the same person holds the posts of president and Dhaka Reporters Unity and general secretary of Barisal Division Journalists’ Association.
On March 2, the same bench on its own motion summoned Mizanur Rahman Khan, the Prothom Alo joint editor, for writing a column which questioned the anticipatory bails granted by the bench. The court also issued a contempt of court rule against its editor Matiur Rahman and Mizanur.
At the outset of the second day hearing on the contempt rule, lawyer Rokanuddin drew the attention of the court to the statements of DRU, Dhaka University Journalists’ Association, Jagannath University Journalists’ Association and Barisal Division Journalists’ Association against the lawyer.
Rokan on Thursday said: “There is no organisation to regulate the journalists. As a result, they write whatever they wish. They think that they are above the law. They discredit others after being bribed. They think that they are very powerful.”
The court also issued a contempt of court rule against editors, publishers and printers of the two Bangla newspapers – the Samakal and the Naya Diganta – for publishing statements of several organisations which demanded apology from Rokanuddin Mahmud for his comments during Thursday’s hearing.
Source: Dhaka Tribune