The Supreme Court has clarified its instruction to the media regarding publication of news in cases that are in trial.
“It’s not expected that news that hurts the court’s image or influences the case proceedings will be published,” SC Registrar General Md Zakir Hossain said in a statement on Tuesday (May 21).
The statement said that that the SC has always believed in the freedom of media and “the instructions issued on May 16 has hereby been clarified.”
On Thursday (May16), the top court published a circular stating: “It has been noticed recently that some electronic and print media are broadcasting or publishing news reports or running scrolls relating to ongoing cases, which is totally undesirable.”
“Under the circumstances, it is being requested by way of this order, that all concerned refrain from publishing news or running scrolls about ongoing cases.”
The clarification on Tuesday came after the instruction created much confusion in the media and several organisations including Editors Guild, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Law Reporters Forum asked for clarification.