HC asks BTRC to remove Tarique’s speeches from social media
Staff Reporter :
Two judges of a High Court division Bench on Monday left the courtroom amid chaos following heated conversations between Awami League and BNP-backed lawyers during hearing of a rule over publicising BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman’s statements.
After leaving the courtroom at 10:55 am, the two judges returned to the courtroom at 2:35 pm. Normal court proceedings began then.
This situation created after the division bench allowed a petition filed by the writ petitioner that sought directives on the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to take effective steps to remove the statements of Tarique Rahman, who is absconding in the eyes of the law, from social media.
Earlier, the High Court
Bench of Justice Justice Md Khasruzzaman and Justice Md Khairul Alam allowed the petition and passed the order without hearing the lawyers representing Tarique Rahman. After that, pro-BNP lawyers placed their objection to the court.
The pro-BNP lawyers started shouting saying that they have submitted a petition to the chief justice expressing no confidence in Justice Md Khasuzzaman and therefore, he cannot deal with the matter. However, overriding the objections of the pro-BNP lawyers, the HC bench passed its order.
The pro-BNP lawyers were heard in the courtroom shouting “shame, shame”. Pro-AL lawyers protested and chaos ensued in the courtroom. At one stage, the judges left the courtroom.
Lawyers Md Qamrul Islam and Sanjida Khanam appeared fort the writ petitioner, while a section of pro-BNP lawyers, including AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Md Bodruddoza Badal, Md Ruhul Quddus Kazal, Kayser Kamal and Gazi Kamrul Islam Sajal, stood for Tarique Rahman during the HC proceedings.
Supreme Court lawyer Nashreen Siddiqua Lina filed a writ petition on January 6 in 2015 seeking its directives to restrict publicising Tarique Rahman’s statements.
Following the writ petition the High Court on January 7 in 2015 ordered the government to immediately take steps to stop publicising BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman’s statements in the print, electronic and social media as long as he remains a fugitive.
It also asked the Foreign Secretary to inform it in a month on what legal ground Tarique was staying abroad.
The High Court also issued a rule asking the authorities concerned of the government and the media to explain in four weeks as to why publicising his statements should not be declared illegal.
In the petition, Nashreen said Tarique RAhman, being a fugitive accused, had been making abusive and seditious statements about Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, violating the Constitution.
Tarique Rahman is a fugitive in the eyes of the law as he did not surrender to any court although several arrest warrants have been issued for him in different cases, the petitioner said.
He even termed the Father of the Nation a Razakar, a friend of Pakistan and a man of corrupt disposition, Nashreen added. Along with the petition, she submitted clippings of newspaper reports on Tarique’s recent speeches.
