Hearing on Writ against Al Jazeera Broadcast Wednesday

The High Court today set February 10 to hold a hearing on a writ seeking its directive to ban the broadcast of Al Jazeera, a Qatar-based news channel, in the country.

A High Court division virtual bench of Justice Md Mozibur Rahman Miah and Justice Md Kamrul Hossain Mollah passed the order as petitioner Md Enamul Kabir Emon brought the matter to court's attention.

Supreme Court lawyer Emon filed the writ yesterday. In the petition, the petitioner pleaded for the High Court's directive on the authorities concerned to ban the broadcast of Al Jazeera in the country and also the court's order to remove the contents of a report titled ''All the Prime Minister's Men'' from all social media, including Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter.

Al Jazeera broadcasted the report on February 1. The government dismissed the report, calling it ''false and defamatory'' and a desperate ''smear campaign'' instigated by extremists and their allies, working in London and elsewhere.