DHAKA: The Daily Amar Desh eventually couldn’t see the light of the day Friday for police action although the management, armed with a High Court order, took initiative for resuming its publication.

Tejgaon Thana police kept the press locked since Thursday midnight though the High Court earlier in the day stayed for three months the government decision canceling the declaration of the Bengali daily.

Later, journalists and acting chairman of the news daily’s company Anwar-un-Nabi Majumdar had to go back, said sources.

Following the HC stay order the newspaper management earlier started taking preparation to publish their new issue. They already published a four-page Telegram at 6pm Thursday.

Anwar-un-Nabi Majumdar told banglanews24.com.bd,” We came here to publish our newspaper with the copy of the written order from our lawyers. But, the press was not opened and we had to go back due to police restriction.”

Second officer of Tejgaon police station Shahabuddin told the news portal, ”As deputy commissioner office closed the press, we cannot open it without any further order from the office.”

On the other hand, deputy commissioner Mahibul Haque said,” We heard about the HC stay order. But, without the copy of the order, we cannot open the press.”

Meanwhile, the government posthaste petitioned the Appellate Division’s chamber judge Mojammel Hossain for another stay order against the HC order. The court fixed Sunday for hearing the appeal.


However, the daily has kept its on-line edition on steam.

The High Court in its Thursday order also issued a rule upon the government to show cause in four weeks as to why the decision of the cancellation should not be declared void.

The rule has been directed towards the Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka, Additional Deputy Commissioner, Information Secretary and Officer-in-Charge of Tejgaon police station.

At the same time, the court stayed the order of canceling the application by Mahmudur Rahman to become publisher of the paper.  

BDST: 11:00 hrs, June 11, 2010
JA/SF/NS/MMK/JM/MS/MMA/SMS/MUA