HC orders to blur Milestone victims’ images, videos on media

The High Court has directed government authorities to immediately ensure that the faces of victims of the jet crash at Milestone School & College in Dhaka's Uttara are blurred before any photos or videos are published on mainstream, digital, or social media platforms.

The bench of Justice Kazi Zinat Hoque and Justice Aynun Nahar Siddiqua issued the directive today while hearing a public interest writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Tasmiah Nuhiya Ahmed.

The court also issued a rule asking the respondents to explain why their failure to act in accordance with existing laws regarding the publishing of such sensitive content should not be declared illegal, Deputy Attorney General Nur Mohammad Azami told The Daily Star.

Chairman of Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission and secretaries at the ministries of post and telecommunication and information technology; and information and broadcasting have been made respondents to the rule.

Tasmiah submitted the petition to the High Court on July 29, seeking necessary directives to remove and prevent the further spread of photos and videos of the tragedy from print, electronic and online media.

In the petition, she argued that continued exposure to graphic images and footage of the deceased and injured children has caused immense psychological trauma to their families. The petition cited the intense emotional distress experienced by the victims' parents in the aftermath of the July 21 crash.

The lawyer herself moved the petition in court, while deputy attorney generals Golam Rahman Bhuiyan and Nur Muhammad Azami represented the state.