The High Court (HC) yesterday fined a former district and sessions judge of Feni Tk. 5,000 for not providing protocol service to then HC Judge Justice Syed Amirul Islam in the district in 2003. The HC said Feroz Alam, then district and sessions judge of Feni, would have to serve a seven-day jail sentence if he does not pay the fine within 15 days.

The HC bench, comprising Justice Obaidul Hassan and Justice SM Kuddus Zaman, came up with the verdict after disposing of a suo moto rule issued by the court in 2003. It delivered the verdict after holding a hearing on the rule.

In 2003, then HC Justice Syed Amirul Islam went to Feni on a visit. As per rule, the district and sessions judge is supposed to provide protocol to any judge of the Appellate and HC Divisions when they go out of Dhaka. But then district and sessions judge of Feni, Feroz Alam, did not offer any protocol service to Justice Syed Amirul Islam, although he was informed about the visit.

In its verdict, the HC yesterday issued some directives for district and sessions judges and the district administrations about giving protocol to Supreme Court (SC) judges when they are on a visit.

When an HC judge goes to any district on a visit during vacations, a judicial officer at least of the rank of a district judge must felicitate the HC judge’s stay in the district circuit house.

If an HC judge goes to a district on a visit on working days, the judge in charge will have to felicitate the HC judge’s stay in the absence of the district judge. The district and sessions judge will make a courtesy call on the HC judge.

If the HC judge stays in a village, a senior official will have to look after the judge.

The district and sessions judge and additional district and sessions judge must see off the of HC judge when he leaves the area of visit.

The deputy commissioner (DC) and superintendent of police or their representatives must also be present at that time, the HC verdict said. The registrar general of the Supreme Court has been asked to issue a circular about the HC directive. Deputy attorney general Rafi Ahmed appeared for state, while advocate Faisal H Khan appeared for the district judge during the rule hearing.