'What's happening in the name of journalism?' -- High Court wonders
The High Court today expressed utter dissatisfaction at the state of journalism, wondering "what's happening in the name of journalism".
"A person named Helena Jahangir reportedly operated an IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) channel. How many channels have been opened in the name of IPTV? What's happening in the name of journalism?" the HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim said.
Helena Jahangir, a businessperson turned politician, has been sacked from the position of member of an Awami League subcommittee. She was arrested and sued recently for her controversial activities.
Today, the HC expressed dissatisfaction during hearing a case over false reports published by some newspapers including the Dainik Purbokone, a Bangla daily in Chattogram. The reports were on the HC's order about transfer of Md Sharif Uddin, a deputy assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Chattogram.
The HC bench ordered those newspapers, which run false reports, to publish rejoinders along with correction, and fixed August 5 (Thursday) for delivering an order on the issue.
ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan has been asked to communicate the orders to the newspapers for publishing the rejoinders.
During the proceedings, the lawyer told the HC bench that Dainik Purbokone has published a rejoinder today, offering apology.
Earlier on Monday, the HC bench disclosed an incident of fraud in its order regarding transfer of ACC official Sharif Uddin. Also, the court ordered the commission to conduct a probe into it.
Sharif Uddin, who had reportedly been conducting investigations into corruption allegations against different offices and hospitals and influential people in the district, has been transferred on June 16.
The HC bench led by Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman on June 30 summarily rejected a writ petition that sought stay on the transfer of Sharif Uddin. One Fazle Azim had filed the petition.
But, a lawyer named Md Mazharul Haque has issued an advocate-certificate saying that the HC bench of Justice Enayetur Rahim on July 29 stayed the transfer [of Md Sharif Uddin] and directed the authorities concerned to allow him in the office for next two weeks.
Based on the lawyer-certificate, the Dainik Purbokone and few other newspapers published a report on this issue.
On Monday, the HC bench found that another writ petition has been moved before it seeking similar order so that Md Sharif Uddin's transfer order is halted. Md Shahidul Islam Liton, claiming to be a human rights activist in Cox's Bazar, filed the writ petition.
Examining the petition, Justice Enayetur said his bench on June 30 rejected a similar writ petition, but a report was published in Dainik Purbokone on July 31 saying that the bench on July 29 stayed the transfer of ACC official Sharif Uddin, which is totally false.
No lawyer named Md Mazharul Haque could be found in the members' list of the Supreme Court Bar Association.
Deputy Attorney Generals Samarendranath Biswas and Bipul Bagmar represented the state during the virtual proceedings.
Contacted, the lawyers and deputy attorney generals said they don't know Md Mazharul Haque as a lawyer of the Supreme Court.