A Supreme Court lawyer on Saturday lodged a writ petition with the High Court seeking directives for taking legal actions against those who “illegally” recorded and disclosed the content of the phone conversation between Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The petitioner, Abdullah Al Baki, urged the court to pass an ad-interim order to cease further publication of the conversation that took place on October 26. The petition also sought a rule asking why the disclosure should not be declared “unconstitutional.”
“Divulging the conversation was a violation of the constitution,” Baki told the Dhaka Tribune.
According to article 43 of the constitution, every citizen shall have the right to privacy of his/her correspondence and other means of communication.
The petitioner said: “The conversation leak makes the possibility of a dialogue [between the two parties] uncertain, hence, pushes the country towards violence. So, for serving the interest of the public, I registered the plea.”
The information secretary, communication and technology secretary, home secretary, Bangladesh television, the Association of Television Channel Owners, the National Press Club, the Bangladesh Federal Union of Journalists, the Dhaka Journalists Union and the Dhaka Reporters Unity have been made respondents to the plea.
After the phone conversation was made public by different television and newspapers, the ruling Awami League claimed that the release was good, claiming that the “partial conversation” released by the BNP misled the citizens.
Meanwhile, the BNP censured the leak and termed it a violation of political norms.
