HC orders BTRC to immediately remove Al Jazeera's video clip

The High Court has asked Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to take immediate steps to remove Qatar-based Television Channel Al Jazeera's video clip titled 'All the Prime Ministers' Men' from the social media including YouTube , Facebook, and Twitter.

The order was given over a writ petition seeking a ban on the broadcasting of Al Jazeera in Bangladesh.

A High Court bench of justice Md Mujibur Rahman Mia and justice Md Kamrul Hossain Molla passed the order on Wednesday afternoon.

Terming the investigative documentary as misleading, hateful and defamatory, Supreme Court lawyer Enamul Kabir filed a writ petition on 8 February seeking the court directives to shut down Al-Jazeera's broadcasting and website in Bangladesh.

Terming the investigative documentary as misleading, hateful and defamatory, Supreme Court lawyer Enamul Kabir filed a writ petition on 8 February seeking the court directives to shut down Al-Jazeera's broadcasting and website in Bangladesh.

Eight people, including the chairman of BTRC, were made defendants.

On 10 February, the court announced the names of six lawyers as amicus curiae (legal interpreters of the court) to comment on a number of issues, including the acceptability of the writ.

The High Court appointed senior lawyers AJ Mohammad Ali, Kamal Ul Alam, Abdul Matin Khasru, Fida M Kamal, Prabir Niyogi and Shahdeen Malik as amicus curiae to seek their opinions on the legitimacy of the writ petition.

In a court hearing on Monday five of six amicus curiae opposed the writ petition filed by a Supreme Court lawyer seeking the removal of Al Jazeera channel in Bangladesh.

Former law minister Abdul Matin Khasru, also a ruling party lawmaker, opposed the arguments of the five lawyers saying the writ petitioner has personally and nationally been aggrieved. The court may order the removal of the documentary.