HC rejects ACC’s prayer against Inqilab journalist

Rejecting a prayer of Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for taking action against a journalist of Daily Inqilab over publishing of a report on corruption, the High Court yesterday observed that the commission can approach Bangladesh Press Council if it has any allegation about the report.

The Press Council will take necessary steps under Press Council Act, 1974, the HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo said in a suo motu (voluntary) rule.

On March 8, 2021, the bench issued a suo motu rule, inquiring about a report published by Inqilab on March 3 that year, under the headline "20 Kotite Prokousholi Ashrafuler Daaymukti! Durniti Domone 'Dudok Style'".

The report was about the corruption allegation against former Public Works Department engineer Ashraful Alam and his wife Sabiha Alam, and ACC exempting them from the allegation.

It mentioned that Tk 20 crore was spent to get rid of the allegations.

The HC yesterday disposed of the March 8 rule and ordered the anti-graft watchdog to conduct further inquiry into the corruption allegation, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star.

Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan represented Anti-Corruption Commission, while Mohammad Shishir Manir represented Sayeed.