Media defying court order on Hasina speeches to face action: Adviser Zahed
The adviser says the government is responsible for enforcing court directives and will act against any media outlet found violating the order.
The government will take necessary action against any media outlet that publishes or broadcasts speeches by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in violation of a court order, Prime Minister's Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman said today (4 August).
"The government earlier issued an advisory for the media in this regard. If any media outlet announces in advance that Sheikh Hasina will deliver a speech and then publishes or broadcasts it, it will amount to defying the court order," he said at a press briefing held at the Secretariat.
He said the government would once again remind all media outlets to refrain from such activities, stressing that complying with court directives is the responsibility of every individual and institution.
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"The government's responsibility is to ensure implementation of the court's decisions," he added.
Expressing his personal opinion, the adviser said he would not have supported restricting the broadcast of Hasina's speeches had there been no court order.
"If anyone disagrees with the court's order, they have the right to challenge it before the court. But as long as the order remains in force, everyone must comply with it," he said.
Replying to a question on why the government came to know about former IGP Benazir Ahmed's bail two to three days after it was granted, Zahed said he was not confirmed about the matter and could not provide an immediate explanation.
Responding to another question on whether the previous government's influence still exists in the administration and other institutions, the adviser said the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government and her departure from the country on August 5 marked a significant event in Bangladesh's history.
However, he said it is not possible to replace all officials who served at different levels of the administration during the previous 15 years overnight.
"Many people associated with the previous government are still working in different institutions, including the administration. It is simply not possible to remove such a large number of people at once; the process takes time," he said.
