A Dhaka court on Wednesday directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to probe two separate cases filed on charges of negatively presenting specially-abled people at a TV event and making hurtful comparisons regarding specially-abled people on a talk show.
Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Abu Bakar Siddique asked the PBI to submit reports before the court by September 22 after conducting investigations.
Earlier in the day, a case was filed against the producer, director, and those associated with the production of an Eid special tele-fiction, titled “Ghotona Shotto,” which insensitively addressed children with special needs.
Bashir Al Hossain, 45, a specially-abled person from Gazipur, filed the case under the Persons with Disabilities Rights and Protection Act, 2013.
The accused in the case are private television station Channel i Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar, Channel i spokesperson Shykh Seraj, scriptwriter Moinul Shanu, director Rubel Hasan, actors Mehazabien Chowdhury and Afran Nisho, and the CEO of Ghotona Shotto production house Central Music and Video (CMV) Entertainment.
According to the allegations, the tele-fiction was enlisted as part of private television station Channel i’s Eid-ul-Azha special programs, and was uploaded on CMV’s YouTube channel on July 23.
It tells the story of a couple, played by Afran Nisho as a driver and Mehazabien Chowdhury as a housemaid, who mischievously deceive their service-takers.
Also Read - Case lodged against creators of 'Ghotona Shotto'
Later the tele-fiction showcases that the couple were bestowed with a child with special needs, wondering if their child’s condition was a result of their misdeeds.
After the airing of the tele-fiction, Amrin Zaman, a mother, first addressed the issue on a Facebook live video.
A large number of audiences have since expressed their disgust on social media over the portrayed message, raising questions about the sensitivity of the makers towards the topic of children with special needs.
Amid the controversy, the fiction was immediately taken down from CMV’s YouTube channel. The cast and crew have also publicly apologized across social media through a joint statement.
Barrister Sumon sued
Meanwhile, the same plaintiff filed the second case against Barrister Syed Sayedul Haque Sumon and five others for reportedly making hurtful comparisons regarding specially-abled people on a TV talk show.
The accused in the case are Sumon, Channel i’s Managing Director Faridur Reza Sagar, Channel i spokesperson Shykh Seraj, the talk show’s planner Jahid Newaz Khan, producer Raju Alam and presenter Shoma Islam.
On July 11, Sumon described the deplorable state of football in the country as a "disabled boy" on the talk show, titled “Metrocem To the point,” aired on Channel i.
Barrister Sumon, a prominent lawyer of the Supreme Court and a much talked about figure for his social media appearances, was recently removed from the post of legal affairs secretary of the Awami Jubo League central committee.