HC exempts Prothom Alo editor, publisher from appearing in court

The High Court yesterday exempted the Prothom Alo Editor Matiur Rahman, Publisher Mahfuz Anam and reporter Mizanur Rahman Khan from appearing in person before the court in connection with a contempt case.
Upon a time prayer moved by their counsel Dr Kamal Hossain, the HC bench of Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui also gave them four weeks' time for replying to a rule earlier issued by this court.
On November 11, the HC bench, following a contempt petition filed by a Supreme Court lawyer, issued the rule on them to explain within two weeks why contempt proceedings should not be drawn against them for publishing a report on the number of orders passed by an HC bench.
The journalists appeared before the HC bench yesterday.
The court said that it will fix a date for hearing on the rule after the winter vacation in December.
The Prothom Alo carried the report headlined 'Orders in 298 cases passed in 315 minutes' on November 9.