Twenty-three eminent citizens yesterday expressed concern over the High Court rule on Prof Asif Nazrul for his comments on politics at a talk show hosted by a private television channel on March 12.
In a statement, they said Asif Nazrul, a law professor of Dhaka University, had been writing for newspapers and journals on legal and political issues for many years.
Likewise, he criticised the ongoing political confrontation, saying that it could lead to a rise of forces similar to those of 1/11.
“Earlier, analysts, including politicians, had expressed similar apprehensions, which comes out of the urge to maintain the continuity of democracy. Such apprehensions against the backdrop of the confrontational politics pursued by the two main political parties is not irrational,” said the statement.
Citizens think that it is their basic right, which has been recognised in the constitution, to express concerns on any political crisis, and the High Court's responsibility is to protect citizens' fundamental rights to speech and conscience.
“Instead, the court has issued a rule asking the home secretary, IGP of police and police commissioner of Dhaka why sedition charge against Asif Nazrul will not be brought. We think such a step by the High Court is a threat to citizens' free thinking, right to speech and freedom of media,” the statement said.
The eminent citizens also said that they noticed with concern that the same bench of the court had taken a number of similar steps on its own or on the basis of appeals.
Earlier, a bench of the High Court issued a rule and summoned the participants of a talk show of another private television channel.
Such continuous steps by the High Court have made its role questionable in the matter of protecting people's right to speech and freedom of media.
“We think the High Court will lose its strength and acceptability if it continues to issue rules and brings to book citizens for exercising their rights to speech and thought instead of protecting them,” the statement read.
They urged the authorities concerned to make sure that the High Court played a more sensitive role with regard to right to speech and freedom of the media.
Those who issued the statement include Prof Muzaffer Ahmad, M Hafizuddin Khan, Dr Badiul Alam Majumder, barrister Manzoor Hasan, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, Prof Salahuddin Aminuzzaman, Dr Shahdeen Malik, Nurul Kabir, Prof Pias Karim, Prof Amena Mohsin, Prof Anu Muhammad, Prof Shahnaz Huda, barrister Andaleeb Rahman, Rubana Haque, Prof Dilara Chowdhury, Dr Zafarullah Chowdhury, Shirin Haque, Mizanur Rahman Khan, Abu Sayeed Khan, Monir Haider.