Dhaka's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) Thursday issued a ban on posting and publication of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's all forms of 'hate speech' in the media and on social-media platforms.
At the same time, the tribunal has ordered removing such provocative speeches' of Sheikh Hasina, now under trial, from all media and social platforms, including Facebook, YouTube and X (formerly twitter).
The information secretary, ICT division secretary, and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) have been asked to comply with the orders "immediately".
After considering a petition filed by the prosecution team, a three-member bench of the tribunal headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the orders.
Other two members of the bench are Justice Md Shofiul Alam Mahmood and former District and Sessions Judge Md Mohitul Haque Enam Chowdhury.
Earlier in the day, the prosecution submitted an application at the International Crimes Tribunal for banning the hate speeches, or any other speeches made by the former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, an accused in a number of cases under investigation by the tribunal's investigating agency or the prosecution, that may hinder the investigation process, or create fear among witnesses or victims, said ICT Prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim.
Citing some speeches and phone conversations of Hasina that were leaked on social and electronic media, he said the victims and witnesses were threatened with some of the words used.
"If speeches like these are published and broadcast, we won't be able to bring witnesses to the tribunal at the time of trials," he added.
The prosecution submitted the application for stopping the publication of such hate speeches that may be made in the future, too, and to remove those already on the social and electronic media, he said.
Speaking to reporters outside the tribunal, the prosecutor said the tribunal heard the application, heard relevant international and local laws on the matter, and accepted the application.
The ICT thereafter ordered the authorities concerned of the government to delete the hate speeches that have already been broadcast, and to make sure no such hate speech is broadcast in the future, said Prosecutor Tamim.
"She (Sheikh Hasina) can communicate with her party leaders and activists even after fleeing abroad. We are not preventing free expression of opinion. We are not in favour of stopping her speech, however, against her hate speech," said the prosecutor.
According to the petition, speeches made by Hasina that are being circulated on social media now fall under the purview of the Rabat Plan of Action of the United Nations.
Any speech outside that made by Hasina will not have any broadcasting restrictions.
Notably, the Rabat Plan of Action is a United Nations document that establishes a high threshold for restricting freedom of expression in cases of incitement to hatred.
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