Sometimes media is to blame for price hikes: Justice Enayetur Rahim

Justice M Enayetur Rahim, a senior judge at the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court (SC), today instructed the media to make reports positively and carefully, saying that prices of products sometimes increase due to the role of media.

"For example, I have watched a television channel publishing reports on shortage of a product like onion at 8:00 in the morning at Khatunganj. And then following this news if you go to Karwan Bazar at 10:00am, you will see that the same product price has been increased up to 30 percent. And later in afternoon, it will be also seen at Shyambazar that the price of the product has been hiked up to 40 percent."

"If eight to 10 channels keep reporting on the price hike of essentials, their demands and crisis are created. So, the media should present the reports positively," he said.

The judge came up with the comment while speaking as the chief guest to a workshop titled "Cyber Security Act and Court Reporting" organised the Law Reporters Forum at the Supreme Court Bar Association's South Hall on the SC premises.

Justice Enayetur Rahim said reports can be made on the personal life of judges, but those reports must be cent percent true.

Reports can be made on the judges' corruption, if there is any, but the newsmen must have authentic documents to defend himself or herself, the judge said, adding that such courageous journalism is necessary.

But the reports without authentic documents, which can only defame a judge, cannot be made, he said.

The apex court judge also said law enforcers displayed photos of juvenile gang after arresting them although the High Court in a verdict prohibited publishing photos, names and addresses of the accused and convicted children.

Justice Enayetur Rahim requested the court reporters to make reports on the orders and judgements of the relevant cases and not to publish reports on the isolated conversations between the judges and lawyers during court proceedings.

Justice Sheikh Hassan Arif, a judge of the High Court Division of the SC, and Attorney General AM Amin Uddin, also spoke to the occasion.