IN THE SUPREME COURT OF BANGLADESH HIGH COURT DIVISION

(SPECIAL ORIGINAL JURISDICTION)

SUO MOTO CONTEMPT RULE NO. 02 OF 2022

IN THE MATTER OF:

The State

... Petitioner -Versus-

Khan Md. Alauddin, Public Prosecutor, Pirojpur

... Contemnor-Respondent

Mr. Fida M. Kamal, with

Mr. Md. Momtazuddin Fakir, Senior Advocates

Mr. Md. Abdur Nur,

Ms. Nahid Sultana

Mr. S.M. Abul Hossain

Mr. Md. Robiul Alam

Mr. M. Sayeed Ahmed

Mr. Md. Sabbir Ibne Azam, Advocates

.....For the Contemnor-Respondent

The 15th day of November, 2022

Present:

Mr. Justice J.B.M. Hassan

and

Mr. Justice Razik-Al-Jalil

J.B.M. Hassan, J:

This Rule was issued on 17.10.2022  against the contemnor- respondent, namely, Khan Md. Alauddin, Public Prosecutor, Pirojpur in the following terms:

“Let a Rule be issued  calling upon the contemnor- respondent (Khan Md. Alauddin, Public Prosecutor, Pirojpur) to show cause as to why a proceeding for contempt of Court should not be drawn up against him and as to why he should not be punished for committing

contempt of Court and/or pass such other or further order or orders as to this Court may seem fit and proper.”

Learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pirojpur made an allegation against the contemnor-respondent before the Registrar General of the Supreme Court of Bangladesh. Pursuant to which the matter has been placed before this Court for hearing by order of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Bangladesh.

The allegations brought against the contemnor-respondent are as follows:

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h¡¢q−l AhØq¡e L−lez ¢L¿¹¤ aMe ¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fË¢p¢LEVl, ¢f−l¡Sf¤l Se¡h M¡e ®j¡x Bm¡X~¢Ÿe J a¡l pq−k¡N£ ¢LR¤ ¢h‘ BCeS£h£−L ¢e−u HSm¡−p AhØq¡e Ll−m E−õ¢Ma

j¡jm¡ pj¤−ql ¢ek¤š² ¢h‘ BCeS£h£hª¾c a¡−a Bf¢š L−lez aMe B¢j HSm¡−pl ¢fËS¡C¢Xw ¢hQ¡lL ¢q−p−h ü¡i¡¢hL ¢hQ¡l L¡kÑ f¢lQ¡me¡l fË−u¡S−e ¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fË¢p¢LEVl, ¢f−l¡Sf¤l

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®e−j k¡Ju¡l SeÉ ýj¢L fÐc¡e L−le Hhw HLfkÑ¡−u Bj¡−L N¡m j¾c L−l ®S¡l f§hÑL Bj¡l

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aÉ¡N Ll−m B¢j E−õ¢Ma j¡jm¡ pj§−ql Bp¡j£ j¡Jm¡e¡ ®j¡: q¡¢gS¤l lqj¡e ¢RŸ£−Ll

¢eu¢ja S¡¢je öe¡e£ L−l a¡ ¢eÖf¢š L¢l Hhw Bj¡l ü¡i¡¢hL ¢hQ¡l L¡kÑ pÇfæ L−l ¢edÑ¡¢la pj−u HSm¡p aÉ¡N L¢lz E−õMÉ ®k, ¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fТp¢LEVl Se¡h M¡e ®j¡: Bm¡E¢Ÿe pÇfТa pj−u a¡yl ¢f¢fn£−fl La«ÑaÅ fÐcnÑ−Zl ®Qø¡u ¢f−l¡Sf¤l S¤¢X¢nu¡m jÉ¡¢S−ØVÌ¢p−a LjÑla AeÉ¡eÉ jÉ¡¢S−ØVÌVhª−¾cl p¢qaJ fÐL¡nÉ HSm¡−p KÜaÉf§ZÑ BQlZ L−le h−m Bj¡l pqLj£Ñhª¾c Bj¡−L ®j±¢MLi¡−h AhNa L−l−Rez B−l¡ E−õMÉ ®k, ®cnhÉ¡f£ B−m¡¢Qa Hqp¡e N˦f A¢a j¤e¡g¡l fÐ−m¡ie ®c¢M−u ¢e¢lq NË¡qL−cl fÐa¡¢la L−l q¡S¡l ®L¡¢V V¡L¡ BaÈp¡v

Ll¡l A¢i−k¡−N A¢ik¤š² Hhw E−õ¢Ma j¡jm¡ pj§−ql 03 ew Bp¡j£ j¡Jm¡e¡ ®j¡: q¡¢gS¤l

lqj¡e ¢RŸ£L Hqp¡e N˦−fl hÉ¡hÙÛ¡fe¡ f¢lQ¡mL ®j¡: l¡N£h Bqp¡−el p¢qa −k¡Np¡S−pÉ ¢h¢iæ Ju¡S-j¡q¢g−m q¡¢Sl q−u d−jÑ AfhÉ¡MÉ¡ ¢c−u djÑfСZ j¤pmj¡e−cl plm Ae¤i¨¢a−L L¡−S m¡¢N−u fÐa¡lL Hqp¡e N˦−fl NË¡qL pª¢ø Ll¡l L¡−S S¢sa j−jÑ A¢i−k¡N l−u−Rz

AaHh, ¢f−l¡Sf¤l ®Sm¡l ¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fТp¢LEVl Se¡h M¡e ®j¡: Bm¡E¢Ÿe

LaѪL Bj¡l HSm¡−p OV¡−e¡ AfУ¢aLl J ü¡i¡¢hL ¢hQ¡l L¡−kÑ fТahåLa¡ pª¢øl OVe¡¢V j−q¡c−ul pcu AhN¢al SeÉ Aœ fœ −fÐlZ Llm¡jz

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(Bh¤ S¡gl ®j¡x ®e¡j¡e)

Q£g S¤¢X¢pu¡m jÉ¡¢S−ØVÊV

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Upon perusal of the allegations brought in the aforementioned memo and finding prima facie case, this Court issued the Rule and also directed the contemnor-respondent to appear in person before the Court on 15.11.2022 for explaining his conduct regarding the allegations. The allegations have also been brought to the notice of the learned Attorney General present before the Court.

Pursuant to the aforesaid order the contemnor-respondent has appeared in person before the Court today.

On behalf of the contemnor-respondent an affidavit-in- compliance has been filed today and referring to the said affidavit-in-compliance, Mr. Fida M. Kamal, learned Senior Advocate at the very outset tenders unconditional apology on behalf of the contemnor-respondent. The contemnor-respondent appearing in person has also tendered unconditional apology before this Court as well as to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pirojpur expressing regret for the incident took place on 25.7.2022. In the affidavit-in-compliance, amongst others, the

contemnor respondent states as follows:

“5.  That at the very outset, the contemnor-respondent

without justifying his conduct in any manner, begs unconditional apology and throws himself at the mercy of this Hon’ble Court as well as the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pirojpur for an unpleasant incident which occurred on 25.07.2022 at the courtroom of the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pirojpur in presence of the contemnor-respondent. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11.  That it is most respectfully stated that the contemnor-respondent vows and undertakes he will be more cautious and vigilant in discharging his duties and to maintain the decorum of the Court in

future and also undertakes that this kind of incident will never occur again and as such, the Hon’ble Court may kindly be pleased to exonerate the contemnor-respondent from the instant case.”

We have gone through the allegations brought against the contemnor-respondent and the affidavit-in-compliance filed today on behalf of the contemnor-respondent. From the statements of the affidavit in compliance, it appears to us that the contemnor-respondent admits that he participated in the incident took place and used dirty language (unacceptable words) with

the learned Judge during conducting his Court proceeding. From

the allegations we find the relevant portions are as follows:

“¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fË¢p¢LEVl Bj¡l Ae¤−l¡d E−fr¡ L−l qW¡v Bj¡l HSm¡−p EµQ ü−l ¢h¢iæ j¾c i¡o¡u (hÉhq©a i¡o¡ ®mM¡l A−k¡NÉ) ýj¢L-dj¢L fÐc¡e L−l a¡yl ¢f¢fn£−fl La«ÑaÅ fÐcnÑ−el j¡dÉ−j Bj¡l ¢hQ¡l L¡−kÑ (S¡¢je öe¡e£−a) h¡yd¡ fÐc¡e L−lez aMe ¢h‘ f¡h¢mL fТp¢LEVl Bj¡−L HSm¡p q−a ®e−j k¡Ju¡l SeÉ ýj¢L fÐc¡e L−le Hhw HLfkÑ¡−u Bj¡−L N¡m j¾c L−l ®S¡l f§hÑL Bj¡l ¢hQ¡l L¡kÑ p¡j¢uL hå L−l ®cJu¡l ®Qø¡ L−l nƇMvj Lla: HSm¡−p LjÑla

LjÑQ¡l£hª−¾cl J ¢hQ¡lfСbÑ£ Sep¡d¡l−Zl j−e BawL pª¢ø L−lz”

 It appears that the contemnor-respondent violently

shouted using filthy language defaming learned Judge during conducting his court proceeding. Such conduct absolutely constitute the offence of contempt of Court.

In Halsbury’s Laws of England (4th Edition) Vol.9, para 27, at page 21, it is stated that the scandalising the court would mean any act done or writing published which is calculated to

bring a court or a Judge into contempt, or to lower his authority, or to interfere with the due course of justice or the lawful process of the court. Scurrilous abuse of a Judge or court, or attacks on the personal character of a Judge, are punishable contempts. Punishment is inflicted, not for the purpose of protecting either the Court as a whole or the individual Judges of the Court from repetition of the attack, but for protecting the public, and especially those who either voluntarily or by compulsion are subject to the jurisdiction of the Court, from the mischief they will incur if the authority of the Court is undermined. The power to punish the contemner is, therefore, granted to the Court not because Judges need the protection but because the citizens need an impartial and strong judiciary.

It is to be borne in mind that the Court is above all in a civilized country being established under the supreme law of the country, the Constitution. To maintain the rule of law in a civilized country, citizens must show respect to the Court and the Court proceeding.

The lawyers who are the integral part of the judicial system their responsibility stand more in upholding the highness and majesty of the Court, otherwise the adverse message will go to the citizens and thereby the discipline in running the civilized country shall be hampered. Therefore, any sort of disregard or disrespect to the Court or court proceeding should be taken seriously. It is well settled that an Advocate is not only a professional, he is also an officer of the Court and so, his duty and obligation as an officer of the Court are highest than that of other citizens. In the case of Esrarul Huq Chowdhury Vs Md. Amir Hossain, Advocate and anr reported in 11 ADC (2014) 1 our Apex Court observed that if people lose confidence in the legal profession for the deviant behaviour of some of its members, it is not only the profession which will suffer but also the administration of justice as a whole.

Here in this case, we find that the contemnor-respondent No. 1 is not only the learned member of the Bar. He is also the Public Prosecutor of Pirojpur District. Therefore, his responsibility is more than that of other general members of the Bar. But perusing the allegations, we find that the contemnor- respondent misbehaved with the learned Judge uttering filthy language in a contemptuous manner which is not at all desirable from such personality of the Bar. Such conduct of contemnor respondent has not only defamed the Court and the justice system, holding highest chair of Public Prosecutor in the District, he has also embarrassed the Pirojpur Bar Association polluting its environment inasmuch as the junior members of the Bar Association would get a wrong message from such a

condemnable behavior of the senior member of the Bar. It would be marked in future in evaluating his performance during his tenure as Public Prosecutor of Pirojpur.

Be that as it may, before us the contemnor has remorsed regarding his conduct and expressed repentance for the incident took place on 25.7.2022. Besides, standing before the Court the contemnor-respondent, instead of making any defence, unequivocally tenders unconditional apology before the Court as well as to the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate, Pirojpur.

In the affidavit-in-compliance, he has undertaken to remain more cautious in future in discharging his duties and to maintain the decorum of the Court. The contemnor-respondent also undertakes that this kind of incident will never occur in future. Therefore, he should be more cautious and careful in behaving with the court proceedings and its Judges and on failure to do so, the law would take its own course.

Considering his unconditional apology and the undertaking he has given today by swearing affidavit, we are inclined to accept apology. But the contemnor-respondent is hereby cautioned for the future to maintain proper decorum in behaving with the Judges, the Court and the Court proceeding. Thus, the unqualified apology given by the contemnor-respondent to this Court as well as the concerned court is accepted. We also desire

to issue a strong censure and warning to the contemnor- respondent for his such condemnable behaviour with the learned Judge.

With these observations, the Rule is disposed of. The proceeding for contempt is dropped against the contemnor- respondent.

Let a copy of this order be communicated to (i) the Secretary, Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, (ii) the Chairman of the Bangladesh Bar Council and (iii) the President of the Pirojpur District Bar Association for their information and necessary action.

Razik-Al-Jalil, J:

I agree.