A writ petition has been filed in the High Court over the “negative” comments made by Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman regarding the parking of a government vehicle belonging to a police member. The writ seeks action against Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman.
Lawyer Saiful Hossain Topu of the Supreme Court filed the writ on Wednesday, 15 April, on behalf of the Bangladesh Ain O Audhikar Foundation.
The Law Secretary, Deputy Secretary (Administration-2) of the Ministry of Law, and other concerned officials have been made defendants in the writ.
Earlier, on 11 April, the Bangladesh Police Association expressed concern and outrage over the negative comments made by Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman regarding a police member’s parking of a government vehicle.
The organisation believes such comments have severely damaged the professional dignity, self-respect, and morale of the entire force.
These concerns were conveyed in a statement signed by Association President Kamrul Hasan Talukdar and General Secretary Monirul Haq Dablu on Saturday.
The statement said that on 6 April, Magistrate Arifur Rahman made some comments regarding the parking of a vehicle by a police member on duty in Dhaka, which later spread on social media. His blanket statement, “The public does not have confidence in the police,” was particularly insulting, the statement read.
It further noted that for the sake of ensuring road safety, patrol activities, and maintaining immediate law and order, police often have to perform their duties by parking their vehicles on the road out of urgency.
“It is deeply regrettable and unexpected to make negative comments about the entire force in public without considering this reality,” it went on to say, adding that “such behaviour is inappropriate from an official holding a such an esteemed position.”
