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A trial in camera? Media denied access to court

Staff Correspondent
Prohibiting journalists yesterday from entering the court that delivered the verdict of Jail Killing case turned it into a 'trial in camera', aggrieved newsmen said.
Although it was an open trial, police barred journalists waiting since the morning from entering into not only the courtroom but also the court premises, forcing them to stand on the road in front until the court was adjourned in the noon.
The security men, on the other hand, offered VIP treatment to the accused and their relatives.
When journalists approached the guards standing at the entrance of the court premises at around 8:30am, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Kotwali) Reazul Karim Mollick said, "You'll be allowed in after the public prosecutor comes. I've already talked with him about it."
But, when photojournalists tried to take photographs of K M Obaidur Rahman, an accused on bail in the case, at 10:30am, police chased them away. As the photojournalists refused to buzz off and insisted to snap him, police batoncharged them. No-one, however, was seriouslyinjured.
After Obaidur went inside, policemen lined up in front of the entrance and barricaded it.
Every reporter assigned to cover the event when approached the police barrier, requesting entry, was persistently shooed away by the guards.
As the reporters insisted and shouted in protest, police just closed the gate on their face.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Khan Sayeed Hasan then appeared at the scene. "No journalist is allowed to enter," he said, "We've orders from the higher authorities not to let any journalist in to the court premises."
"The closes they can come is up to this point," he told them standing two yards off the gate.
Asked whether it was a trial in camera, hejust kept mum.
Police later used a bullhorn to ask the journalists to vacate the entrance. "Don't crowd here, please, leave the place," one of them said.
As the journalists again requested DC Sayeed to allow them in, he repeated the same formula of 'the order from the higher authorities'.
As the newsmen wanted to know who the higher authorities are, he mutely departed the scene.
Infuriated, the journalists staged a five-minute sit-in on the road and denounced the prohibition.
"It's a clear violation of the freedom of press," Faruq Kazi, a senior reporter, said, questioning the motive behind the decision.
Senior counsel of the accused Mahbubur Rahman also castigated the decision and said, "Since it is a public trial, not one in camera, every one has the right to come and sit and hear the verdict."
"It's a matter of regret that you have been barred from entering the court. It's illegal," he said.
Contrary to their treatment of newsmen, police officials rushed to receive the accused on bail as they stepped out of their vehicles and escorted them and their relatives to the courtroom.
As a policeman unknowingly stopped three relatives of two accused at the entrance, one of them shouted, "Even the Awami League government dared not stop us... how do you?"
Hearing his shout several police officials rushed to pacify him and escorted the group, carrying the food they brought for the accused, to the courtroom through another gate.