CHITTAGONG, Sept 20 (bdnews24.com): A madrasah administrator Thursday filed a defamation case against the editor, publisher and freelance cartoonist of Bangla daily Prothom Alo with a Chittagong court.
Patiya Al Jameya Al Islam Madrasah's administrative officer Mohammad Reza filed the case that cited 'elements of sedition' in the publication of a controversial cartoon strip.
Metropolitan magistrate Aminul Ahsan accepted the case and fixed Sept 30 for the next hearing.
"The accused persons hurt the religious feelings of teachers, students, officials and employees of the plaintiff's institution as well as that of the devoted Muslims in Bangladesh and all over the world by publishing a satirical cartoon", the plaintiff said.
It has "instigated a sense of disloyalty and enmity to the government", Reza alleged.
The FIR said: "The accused made an ill-attempt to destroy discipline in the country and hamper development efforts of the government."
"The accused conspired to destroy Bangladesh's friendly relations with the Muslim world by tarnishing the image of the country abroad which is a clear offence like sedition", Reza said.
The plaintiff appealed for an arrest warrant against Prothom Alo editor Matiur Rahman, its publisher Mahfuz Anam and contributing cartoonist Arifur Rahman and stern punishment to them.
He urged the court to take the allegations into cognisance.
Lawyers Abul Khair and Nasiruddin conducted the case on behalf of the plaintiff.
Meanwhile, newspaper editors have called upon all concerned for showing tolerance and restraint in the wake of publication of a cartoon in Bangla daily Prothom Alo, which hurt the religious sentiments of the people.
In a joint statement, they expressed the hope that all quarters, including the devout Muslims, would be assured following the apology tendered by Prothom Alo authorities and the official steps taken in this connection.
They regretted the recent publication of the cartoon in a weekly magazine of the vernacular daily.
The editors expressed the hope that the Prothom Alo would remain alert to avoid recurrence of such incidents in future.
They appealed to the 'alem' community to view the incident with a sense of forgiveness.
The daily Jugantor Editor Golam Sarwar read out the statement to journalists at the Bangladesh Secretariat in the city Thursday on way to a meeting with the adviser for Law and Information.
Signatories to the statement include Jugantor Editor Golam Sarwar, Sangbad Editor Bazlur Rahman, Manabjamin Editor Matiur Rahman Chowdhury, Independent Editor Mahbubul Alam, News Today Editor Reazuddin Ahmed, Ittefaq Editor Rahat Khan, Amar Desh Editor Amanullah Kabir and Bangladesh Observer Editor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury.
Meanwhile, bdnews24.com adds, Islamic clerics have announced that they will not go for any Friday protest programme against Prothom Alo as its editor Matiur Rahman expressed apologies for an editorial mistake that "hurt religious sensibilities".
The declaration is thought to be easing tensions created over the last two days over the publication of a controversial cartoon strip in the daily's satire magazine Aalpin.
The Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, Maulana Ubaidul Haque, told the news agency: "Mr Matiur Rahman has expressed sorrows and asked for forgiveness."
"In this context, if anybody makes mistakes and seeks forgiveness, he has to be forgiven. This is the principle in Islam. So we are not going for any programme on Friday."
Defamation case against Prothom Alo editor, publisher
FE Team | Published: September 21, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00
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