Mahmudur produced in court

The jail authorities produced Mahmudur Rahman, acting editor of the recently closed newspaper the daily Amar Desh, before the Supreme Court (SC) yesterday in connection with contempt of a court petition against him, as per the court's directive.
Lawyers Riaz Uddin Khan and Mynul Hassan jointly filed the petition on May 2 for publishing a report in his daily with the headline “Chamber manei sarkar pakkhe stay” meaning “Chamber bench means stay order in favour of the government” on April 21.
Mahmudur Rahman yesterday told the Appellate Division of SC through his lawyers that he would contest the contempt of court petition.
The six-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim directed Mahmudur and four other journalists of the daily to appear before this court on August 12, as this court will hear the matter on that day.
The four other staff, publisher of the newspaper Hashmat Ali, deputy editor Syed Abdal Ahmed, news editor Mujtahid Faruqui and staff reporter Aliullah Noman, however, told the court through lawyers that they would offer unconditional apology to the apex court in this connection.
Their lawyers- Barrister Rafiqul Haq, Barrister Moudud Ahmed and Barrister Abdur Razzaq told reporters that this is the first time a detained editor appeared before the Appellate Division to face a contempt charge.
Earlier on July 6, the apex court directed them to appear before this court on yesterday.
After the court ordered, the lawyers and Mahmudur met for legal consultation at the office room of president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, where its president Khandaker Mahbub Hossain was present.