10 SC lawyers seek probe into leaked phone conversations

Ten Supreme Court lawyers on Tuesday filed a writ petition in the High Court seeking an immediate probe into leaked telephonic conversations, reports UNB.

A writ petition can be filled directly in a higher court in case of violation of fundamental rights enshrined under the constitution.

Posts and telecommunications secretary, information and communications secretary, telecommunications and information technology secretary, and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission chairman have made respondents to the petition.

Lawyer Mohammad Shishir Monir submitted the petition in the High Court on behalf of the 10 lawyers of the apex court this morning. A division bench of justices M Enayetur Rahim and Mustafizur Rahman will hear the petition as per the court's schedule.

UNB has learnt that the petitioners have cited 20 high-profile instances of leaked telephonic conversations between 2013 and 2021 in their petition.

Conversations between prime minister Sheikh Hasina and then opposition leader Begum Khaleda Zia, between general secretary of Awami League Obaidul Quader and BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, between late senior lawyer Moudud Ahmed and assistant commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Nazmul Hasan were some of the notable instances cited by the petitioners.

Privacy of personal communications has been guaranteed under article 43 of the constitution and it is a fundamental right of the citizens, according to the Supreme Court lawyers.

Besides, Section 30 (f) of the Telecommunications Regulation Act, 2001, ensures privacy of phone conversations, they pointed out. And according to Section 71 of the same act, "phone tapping is a punishable offence".

A person convicted of this crime can be sentenced to a maximum of two years in jail or fined Tk 50 million.

The lawyers said it's baffling how not a single case has been filed by the victims or the telecom regulators in this regard to date.