HC orders to shutdown unregistered online news portals

The High Court (HC) on Tuesday ordered authorities concerned to shutdown all the unregistered online news portals in the country.

A HC division bench comprising Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order after holding a hearing on a supplementary plea filed in the regard.

The court asked the Chairman of Bangladesh Telecom Regulatory Commission (BTRC) and Chairman of Bangladesh Press Council to execute the order within seven days of getting the copy of this order.

Advocates Jarin Rahman and Rashida Chowdhury Nilu moved the plea before the court while Deputy Attorney General Nowroj Md Russel Chowdhury stood for the state.

The court on August 16 had issued an order with a rule after holding a hearing on a writ filed in this regard. We had filed the supplementary plea to shutdown all the unregistered and unauthorised online news portals on that writ. The court today came up with the order after holding a hearing on that plea, Advocate Rashida Chowdhury Nilu told newsmen.

Meanwhile, Deputy Attorney General Nowroj Md Russel Chowdhury said the court asked the respondents to shutdown the unregistered online news portals within seven days of getting the copy of this order and submit a report.