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The Supreme Court (SC) has issued a brief statement in an attempt to clarify its instructions issued earlier to restrain the media from reporting sub-judice cases.
“Bangladesh Supreme Court always believes in the freedom of the press. The publication of reports or broadcasts that tarnish the dignity of the court and influence the ongoing trials are not desirable,” the top court said on Tuesday.
The SC issued the statement five days after Editors Guild, Bangladesh, Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, Law Reporters Forum and several other media organisations expressed their surprise over the instructions, according to bdnews24.com.
In its circular issued on May 16, the SC Secretariat said: “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 court said.
After emerging from a meeting with Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain on Monday, Law Minister Anisul Huq said the instructions given by the Supreme Court Secretariat created confusion. “I spoke to the chief justice. The confusion will end soon.”