HC contempt rule on Daily Jugantor editor, publisher, author

High Court

Dhaka, Nov 5 - The High Court has issued a rule of contempt of court against the Daily Jugantor's editor, publisher, and the writer of an article titled "A Retrospective View of Judicial Separation" that was published in the newspaper.

The rule asks why the writer Dr. Mohammad Abdus Salam, editor Saiful Alam, and publisher Salma Islam should not be charged with contempt of court. They have been directed to submit affidavits explaining their position by next Sunday.

The High Court bench of Justice Farah Mahbub and Justice Debashish Ray Chowdhury, issued the rule today, following a hearing on a contempt petition filed by Mohammad Mazharul Islam, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Judicial Service Association.

The article written by Dr. Abdus Salam was published in Daily Jugantor on November 1. It criticized and allegedly made contemptuous remarks about the judgment in the Masdar Hossain case, which dealt with judicial separation. The petition filed on Monday accuses the three individuals of contempt for publishing disparaging comments about the case.

Lawyers Tanim Hossain and Ridwanul Karim represented the petitioner's side, while Deputy Attorney General Tanim Khan and Assistant Attorney General Mujahidul Islam appeared for the state. - UNB