Sedition cases filed against AL MP Latif

Two separate cases were filed yesterday against MA Latif, lawmaker of the ruling Awami League from Chittagong-11 constituency, on charges of distorting the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the port city last month. While one of the cases pertains to sedition, the other has been filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. The two cases were lodged in the court of Chittagong metropolitan magistrate Faridul Alam. “The court accepted the two cases and ordered the police to investigate the matter. Subject to investigation, the court ordered them to take further legal action,” said advocate Rony Kumar Dey, lawyer of the plaintiff in the sedition case.
The sedition case was filed by AKM Belayet Hossain, vice president of the city unit of the AL. Saifuddin Ahmed Robi, a former Jubo League leader, filed the case under Section 57 of the ICT Act with the same court. Earlier, on February 4, Ahmed had filed a defamation suit against Latif, seeking Tk. 1,000 crore in damages. MA Latif, the MP backed by the ruling party, hung up several festoons with Bangabandhu’s picture at his constituency Chittagong-11, Bandar and Patenga areas on January 30 on the occasion of Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Chittagong. It was alleged that he distorted the images of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This came to light as the posture, attire and shoes did not match those of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and drew widespread ire, particularly on social media. The case statements said MA Latif had superimposed Bangabandhu’s head on MA Latif’s portrait, as the body did not resemble that of Bangabandhu. However, on Sunday, in the midst of an agitation by a faction of the local Awami League, MA Latif held a media briefing, along with the designer of the advertising firm responsible for the billboards. The designer admitted to superimposing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s face on Latif’s body in the image.

Sedition cases filed against AL MP Latif

Two separate cases were filed yesterday against MA Latif, lawmaker of the ruling Awami League from Chittagong-11 constituency, on charges of distorting the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the port city last month. While one of the cases pertains to sedition, the other has been filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Act. The two cases were lodged in the court of Chittagong metropolitan magistrate Faridul Alam. The court accepted the two cases and ordered the police to investigate the matter. Subject to investigation, the court ordered them to take further legal action, said advocate Rony Kumar Dey, lawyer of the plaintiff in the sedition case. The sedition case was filed by AKM Belayet Hossain, vice president of the city unit of the AL. Saifuddin Ahmed Robi, a former Jubo League leader, filed the case under Section 57 of the ICT Act with the same court. Earlier, on February 4, Ahmed had filed a defamation suit against Latif, seeking Tk. 1,000 crore in damages. MA Latif, the MP backed by the ruling party, hung up several festoons with Bangabandhus picture at his constituency Chittagong-11, Bandar and Patenga areas on January 30 on the occasion of Sheikh Hasinas visit to Chittagong. It was alleged that he distorted the images of the Father of the Nation, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. This came to light as the posture, attire and shoes did not match those of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and drew widespread ire, particularly on social media. The case statements said MA Latif had superimposed Bangabandhus head on MA Latifs portrait, as the body did not resemble that of Bangabandhu. However, on Sunday, in the midst of an agitation by a faction of the local Awami League, MA Latif held a media briefing, along with the designer of the advertising firm responsible for the billboards. The designer admitted to superimposing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahmans face on Latifs body in the image.