Editors Guild seeks explanation over court reporting bar

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Bangla Tribune Desk
Published : 19:45, May 19, 2019 | Updated : 20:18, May 19, 2019

Editors Guild, Bangladesh has asked for specifications on the Supreme Court’s bar on reporting cases that are undergoing trial.
In a statement on Sunday (May 19), the body of editors said that if the directives are to be followed, the media won’t be able to report on any of the cases that are in trial.
The court directive signed by High Court Division Registrar Md Golam Rabbani on Saturday (May 18) read, "It has recently been noticed that the electronic and print media in their channels and newspapers are presenting news of cases that are under trial.”
It said that the media outlets are requested to not present or publish news on those cases.
Editors Guild, Bangladesh President Toufique Imrose Khalidi said, “Sometimes the exchange between the judge and lawyers during a hearing is published if it’s relevant.”
“Like the rest of the world, the Bangladeshi media has been publishing the progress and hearing of many talked about cases for a while now.”
The statement read that the court proceedings of cases such as the Agartala Conspiracy, Sharmin Rima murder, Aug 21 grenade attack, assassination of Bangabandhu [Sheikh Mujibur Rahman], and the war crime trials were highly publicized by the media.
The editors' body said that the SC should give a clear explanation of why the way media has been publicizing the court news for so long has been suddenly deemed as ‘recent.’
The statement read that accountability must be ensured in every sector of the state and hence the court should give a clear explanation of its directive.
The statement said that the organisation is agreed on the point that the journalists have to refrain from making comments or judgments on the court proceedings and called on everyone to concerned to be aware of it.

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