Amar Desh article 'undermines people's trust

Dhaka, Aug 18 (bdnews24.com) – The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has said that the Amar Desh article undermines the people's trust in the judiciary.

The people's trust is the source of the judiciary's power, said the court, adding that that all judiciaries in the world are powered in this way.

The full bench of the Appellate Division, headed by chief justice Mohammad Fazlul Karim, made the comment during the hearing of a contempt of court petition filed against five people, including the acting editor of Bengali-language daily Amar Desh Mahmudur Rahman, on Wednesday.

The court adjourned the hearing until Thursday.

On Apr 21, a report by Rahman headlined 'Chambers always give stay order for the state,' (Chamber Manei Sarkar'r Pakkhe Stay) was published in the daily newspaper.

Supreme Court lawyers Riazuddin Khan and Kazi Moinul Islam had petitioned the court to bring contempt charges against them.

The court pointed out that the daily newspaper had claimed to have the second largest circulation in the country and that publication of such reports adversely affects the people's trust in the judiciary.

"This report will not harm the justices. Rather the people will be harmed if they do not have any trust on the judiciary," said the court.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Appellate Division issued yet another court contempt ruling against Rahman and the daily's publisher Hashmat Ali for another article published in the daily newspaper on May 10, headlined 'Farce in the name of independent justice' (Swadhin Bichharer Name Tamasha)."

It asked Rahman and Ali to appear in court on Aug 24 and explain why such charges should not be taken against them.

Lawyers Riazuddin Khan and Kazi Moinul Hasan also filed the court contempt charge against him with the Appellate Division on Monday.

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