The High Court (HC) yesterday directed the authorities concerned to fully implement its eight-point directives issued earlier for upholding the dignity and sanctity of Shaheed Minar within six months. The HC bench also asked the cultural secretary to submit a progress report on implementation of the directives before it within six months. The HC bench comprising Justice Naima Haider and Justice Abu Taher Md Saifur Rahman passed the order following a petition filed by Human Rights and Peace for Bangladesh (HRPB). Earlier in the morning, Advocate Manzill Murshid, president of HRPB, filed the petition with the High Court bench saying that the HC had on August 25, 2010 issued eight directives to uphold the dignity and sanctity of the Shaheed Minar, but most of the HC directives were not implemented.
In response to a writ petition filed by HRPB, the HC issued eight-point directives including the construction of Shaheed Minar at the premises of all universities and other educational institutions across the country to show respect to the memories of the language heroes.
It also directed the authorities concerned to set up a museum along with a library at any side of the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka and take effective measures so that no unsocial activities take place there. The bench also asked the government to take effective steps so that no function or meeting can be held at the original Bedi (main part) of the Minar. However, there would be no embargo on holding any function outside the original Bedi. The Ministry of Cultural Affairs has been asked to appoint three security guards to protect the area of the Minar. The bench also directed the government to honour the language heroes, both dead and alive, with posthumous and other awards for their contribution to the movement. It asked the government to publish brochures containing the history of the language movement both in Bangla and English to distribute those among the visitors to the country. The HC also asked the government to invite the language movement heroes in all state programmes and ensure all governmental facilities for them.