The government will take legal action under a court order if media outlets publish or broadcast speeches by ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the prime minister’s information adviser, Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman, said Tuesday.
Speaking at a news conference at the Bangladesh Secretariat, Rahman urged media organizations to comply with the court’s order and said the government would take necessary steps against violations.
He said the government had previously warned media outlets about the issue. Announcing in advance that a Hasina speech would be published or aired would amount to defying the order, he said.
Rahman said complying with court directives was a constitutional duty for individuals and institutions, while the government was responsible for ensuring that court decisions were implemented.
Giving his personal view, he said he would not support blocking Hasina’s speeches in the absence of a court prohibition. Anyone who objects to the order should challenge it through the legal process, but it must be followed while it remains in force, he said.
Referring to Hasina’s recent statement that she would return to Bangladesh, Rahman said the government wanted to bring her back and had submitted an extradition request to India while raising the matter at several levels.
Rahman said Hasina was currently a defendant sentenced to death. If she returned, she would be arrested but would receive all legal rights, including the opportunity to defend herself and appoint a lawyer, he said, adding that the government would comply with the court’s final decision.
Asked about possible political programs by Hasina, Rahman said her previous calls had produced no practical effect. Some people might still support her, he said, but he argued that they lacked the organizational or moral capacity to challenge the government politically.
On possible action against people who helped Hasina leave Bangladesh, Rahman said the political circumstances at the time were exceptional and the government was not currently investigating who was involved.
Asked why the government learned late about bail granted to former police inspector general Benazir Ahmed, Rahman said he could not immediately confirm the matter and would discuss it with the home minister.
Rahman said a 15-year administrative structure could not be changed in one day. Many officials who served under the previous government remained in different institutions, and developing new personnel to replace them would take time, he added.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report