DHAKA: BNP standing committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Mia on Sunday said the newly formulated national broadcast policy is contradictory to the country’s constitution as well as democracy.

“The rights of the freedom of expression are preserved in constitution’s Article-39. But the newly formulated broadcast policy is conflicting with the constitution,” he said.

The BNP leader made observation while addressing a discussion, organized by Bangladesh National Human Rights Council at the National Press Club.

Barrister Rafiq also termed the broadcast policy undemocratic and anti-constitution.

He opined that the incumbent government wants to hold power by formulating the broadcast policy.

The government formulated the policy so that people cannot get the information of their (government) wrong deeds, he further added.

He said, “If the policy was formulated some moths before, then people could not know about the Narayanganj gruesome 7-murder.”

The Supreme Court senior lawyer said the government is trying to violate constitution’s Article-96. “According to the constitution, Supreme Judicial Council holds the rights to remove a judge of the Supreme Court from office,” he said.


But the government wants to handover the power to the parliament and they are trying to pass an impeachment law, he claimed.

BNP leaders Khairul Kabir Khokon and Shamimur Rahman and National Press Club general secretary Syed Abdal Ahmed, among others, spoke at the program with National Human Rights Council senior vice-president Dr Rafiqul Islam in the chair.

BDST: 1607 HRS, AUG 17, 2014