Journalist groups demand restoration of access to Supreme Court proceedings in Bangladesh

Leaders of various journalist organizations staged a protest outside the Supreme Court of Bangladesh on Wednesday, demanding the immediate restoration of press access to the courtrooms of the Appellate and High Court divisions. The demonstrators argued that the ongoing restrictions, which have been in place since January 7, severely impede the public’s right to information and contradict constitutional mandates regarding open judicial proceedings.

The sit-in was organized by the Law Reporters Forum (LRF), an association of journalists covering legal and parliamentary affairs. Participants stated that media access to court proceedings has been restricted for nearly seven months. The speakers warned that if access is not granted promptly, journalists will organize a peaceful entry into the Appellate Division, with specific details of such actions to be announced later.

Nurul Kabir, editor of the English-language daily New Age and president of the Editors’ Council, addressed the gathering, emphasizing that the Constitution of Bangladesh guarantees the right to open court hearings. He described the exclusion of the media as a distressing violation of constitutional principles, noting that the judiciary, which is tasked with upholding the rights of citizens, should not itself be responsible for infringing upon them. Kabir added that he had requested a meeting with the Registrar three days prior to discuss the issue, but has yet to receive a response.

Saleh Uddin, executive editor of The Daily Ittefaq and former president of the LRF, asserted that the restriction on access affects not only the press but also ordinary litigants seeking entry to the Appellate Division. He urged the authorities to withdraw what he described as a verbal directive, proposing that the administration and journalists collaboratively establish a code of conduct to manage courtroom access in an orderly manner.

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Shahidul Islam, president of the Dhaka Union of Journalists, argued that transparency is essential for the justice system to serve as a deterrent against crime. He maintained that without media presence, judicial proceedings cannot effectively set the public examples necessary for maintaining legal order. Similar sentiments were expressed by other prominent figures, including LRF President Muhammad Yasin, who contrasted the lack of access at the Supreme Court with the live-broadcasted proceedings of the International Crimes Tribunal.

The protest featured contributions from several other media organizations, including the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU), the Bangladesh Crime Reporters Association, Reporters Against Corruption, and the Reporters Forum for Election and Democracy. LRF General Secretary Arafat Munna moderated the proceedings, reiterating the collective demand for the Chief Justice to reconsider the current policy and ensure the full restoration of press freedom within the judicial premises.