Dhaka: The government will take necessary action against any media outlet that publishes or broadcasts speeches by former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in violation of a court order, Prime Minister’s Information and Broadcasting Adviser Dr. Zahed Ur Rahman said on Tuesday. “The government earlier issued an advisory for the media in this regard. If any media outlet announces in advance that Sheikh Hasina will deliver a speech and then publishes or broadcasts it, it will amount to defying the court order,” he said at a press briefing held at the Secretariat.

According to United News of Bangladesh, the government would once again remind all media outlets to refrain from such activities, stressing that complying with court directives is the responsibility of every individual and institution. “The government’s responsibility is to ensure implementation of the court’s decisions,” Dr. Zahed added. Expressing his personal opinion, the adviser stated that he would not have supported restricting the broadcast of Hasina’s speeches had there been no court order.

He emphasized that if anyone disagrees with the court’s order, they have the right to challenge it before the court. However, as long as the order remains in force, compliance is mandatory. In response to a question about the government’s delayed awareness of former IGP Benazir Ahmed’s bail, Zahed admitted he was not informed enough to provide an explanation.

Addressing concerns about the previous government’s residual influence in the administration and other institutions, the adviser remarked that the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government and her departure from the country on August 5 marked a significant event in Bangladesh’s history. However, he acknowledged the challenge of replacing all officials who served under the previous regime, noting that many individuals associated with the former government are still employed in various capacities. “It is simply not possible to remove such a large number of people at once; the process takes time,” he explained.