Reporters covering the Supreme Court beat held a human chain Sunday to observe World Press Freedom Day, wearing black gags over their mouths to protest against restrictions on media access to courtrooms.
Gathered in front of the Supreme Court’s main gate, the journalists demanded the immediate withdrawal of the ban on entering court proceedings to ensure their right to collect news.
Speakers at the event noted that for several months, media personnel have been barred from entering various benches of both the Appellate Division and the High Court Division.
They argued that the Constitution mandates trials in open courts and that journalists, as representatives of the public, should not face such professional obstacles. Such restrictions, they claimed, are a clear violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 39 of Constitution.
The protesting journalists further stated that for decades, they had enjoyed unrestricted access to the courtrooms. However, they alleged that since Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury assumed the office of Chief Justice, oral prohibitions have been imposed on their entry.
Emphasising that the media is the fourth pillar of the state, the speakers asserted that access to the courts is a right, not a privilege. They called upon the authorities to remove all barriers preventing journalists from performing their professional duties.
Senior journalists, including Masudur Rahman Rana and Mazharul Haque Manna, addressed the gathering. More than fifty journalists working on the Supreme Court beat participated in the programme.
