A Tk1,000 crore defamation case was filed against ruling party lawmaker MA Latif for distorting the image of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on billboards and festoons set up in Patenga and Bandar areas of the port city.
Saifuddin Ahmed, an activist of Jubo League, filed the case with the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Farid Alam.
Ibrahim Hossain Chowdhury Babul, the plaintiff counsel, said the case was filed under section 501 and 502 of Penal Code stating that the banners and festoons hung by the lawmaker in the port city defamed Bangabandhu.
“The magistrate took the case into cognizance and asked the police to submit a report after investigation,” said the lawyer.
It may be mentioned that the images of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman were installed on billboards in Chittagong city by ruling Awami League lawmaker MA Latif during the recent visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the premier port city on January 30 of this year.
The billboards showed a photograph of the Father of the Nation. However, the posture, attire and shoes did not match with Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
It is alleged that MA Latif MP superimposed just the head of Bangabandhu on the portrait of himself as the body did not resemble that of Bangabandhu.
After the image of the Father of the Nation went into viral on social networking sites, leaders and activists of the ruling party Awami League and its front organisation have been staging demonstration against the lawmaker.
Meanwhile, another defamation case was submitted to a court of Chittagong accusing MA Latif MP.
Abdu Rahim Jillur, former deputy secretary on environment affairs of Bangladesh Chhatra League central committee submitted the case yesterday afternoon with Chittagong Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Nurul Alam Nipu.
Talking to the Dhaka Tribune, Salauddin Ahmed Rimu, the plaintiff’s counsel said that a defamation case under section 500 was submitted to the court.
“The court, however, kept the decision pending with regard to accepting the case,” said the lawyer.
