Media Trial and its Present Trend of Ensuring Justice in Bangladesh

Media intrusion in under trial cases has got its deep root in our society which is sometimes observed as an ethical dilemma especially in the developing countries. In today’s world, media is the gateway to get access to information covering various events, incidents and happenings related to our life and feelings. It is now playing a pivotal role in forming and molding opinion of mass people in a community and we, the people have developed the conviction that whatever exposed in media is nothing but true. Taking the advantage of this propensity, media has reincarnated itself as public court and is now interested to investigate the truth of a case in the name of preventing injustice, misdoing and favoritism especially in high profile cases. Such type of media response injects a vast pretrial knowledge in the mind of the judges and it is difficult to efface prejudicial publicity from the minds of them which may result in a taint verdict goes with public opinion ignoring the evidence produced at trial. Consequently, media verdict becomes the ultimate verdict in trial courts. Though media coverage of a case may be subversive, it basically works as spokesman of mass people whose plight goes unnoticed. In a country like Bangladesh where democracy is yet to be flourished, media, as the fourth pillar of democracy is taking the lead to ensure justice for everyone. It assumes the function of watchdog to safeguard the interest of public against malpractice and misfeasance