The order came when editors and publishers of the three newspapers -- The Independent, The Daily Star, and The Daily Amar Desh -- sought for a four-week time for submitting the affidavits.

The newspapers face a contempt charge for carrying a report of United News of Bangladesh (UNB) on March 1. The report, released by news agency UNB the previous day, dealt with rejection of a court prayer filed by former IGP Shahudul.

On an application drawing attention of the court to the report, Advocate Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmed MP told the court on March 2 that the information in the report was wrong.

In response to the application, the High Court bench comprising Justice Joynul Abedin and Justice Miftah Uddin Choudhury had issued a contempt rule against editors, publishers and reporters of the three dailies. The court had also ordered them to appear before it in person.

Editor and Publisher of The Independent Mahbubul Alam, Editor and Publisher of The Daily Star Mahfuz Anam, and Amar Desh Editor Amanullah Kabir and Publisher Hashmat Ali appeared before the court yesterday.

Barrister Rokanuddin Mahmud moved on behalf of Dr Kamal Hossain, counsel for The Daily Star and The Independent while Advocate Joynul Abedin stood for the Amar Desh. Rokan was assisted by Barrister Sara Hossain and Barrister Tanjibul Alam.

Rokan submitted that the news report published by the newspapers was in fact supplied by news agency UNB, and no reporter from these three newspapers had anything to do with writing the report.

Khandaker Mahbubuddin Ahmed told the court yesterday that he did not submit any contempt petition, rather he just submitted an application to draw the court's attention to 'misreporting'.

Barrister Rokan, at this point, pleaded with the court to clear the defendants of the charge. But the matter remained unresolved as the court fixed April 13 as the next date for hearing.