Order on Somoy TV broadcast suspension on Tuesday

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court will deliver an order on Tuesday on a petition seeking a stay on a High Court directive that ordered the suspension of Somoy TV’s broadcasting for seven days.
A six-member bench of the Appellate Division, headed by Chief Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed, set the date after concluding a hearing on the petition today.
Suspension of the broadcasting of Somoy TV will continue till further order of the SC, lawyers concerned in the cases told The Daily Star.
On Wednesday, Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam, chamber judge of the Appellate Division, sent the petition, which sought a stay on the HC order, to its full bench for hearing today.
The petition, submitted by Ahmed Jobaer, a director of Somoy Media Limited, sought a stay on the High Court’s suspension order.
Following a writ petition filed by Shampa Rahman, managing director of Somoy Media Ltd, the HC on August 19 ordered the Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited to halt Somoy TV’s broadcast for seven days.
Additionally, the court issued a rule asking the respondents to explain within seven days why they should not be directed to allow Somoy Media Limited and its managing director to broadcast news impartially and without coercion.
Respondents named in the rule include the secretary of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, the chairman of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission, the chairman of Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited, and Ahmed Jobaer, who holds a 17.75 percent share in Somoy Media Limited.
Broadcasting of the television channel was halted the night the High Court order was issued.
Lawyers AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon and Saqeb Mahbub appeared for Ahmed Jobaer while lawyer Ashsanul Karim argued for the writ petitioner during today’s hearing.