3 Islamist leaders sued for sedition over remark against sculptures

Two sedition cases have been filed against Hefajat-e-Islam Ameer Junayed Babunagari, Joint Secretary General Mohammad Mamunul Haque and Senior Naib-e-Ameer of Islami Andolan Bangladesh Syed Faizul Karim for their provoking statement on installation of sculptures.
 
Aminul Islam Bulbul, president of Muktijuddho Mancha's central committee, filed the case against them with the Court of Metropolitan Magistrate Sotyabrata Sikder on Monday morning.
 
Meanwhile, Advocate Abdul Malek, executive president of Bangabandhu Foundation, filed another case accusing Mamunul Haque.
 
The court is likely to deliver its order on it in the afternoon.
 
Now, the court might instruct the police for further investigation and take permission from the Home Ministry to bring the charges against the Islamist leaders.
 
On 13 November, Mamunul made a statement in a programme at BMA Bhaban Auditorium opposing Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's sculpture.
 
Later, huge protests sparked across the country demanding arrest of the Hefazat leaders.
 
The demands include the immediate arrest of Babunagari and Mamunul for opposing Bangabandhu's sculpture, banning communal political organisations, and communal speech that becomes hate-speech.
 
Earlier on Sunday (6 December) afternoon, Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Zeeshan Mahmud filed an application for sedition case with the senior secretary of the home ministry.
 
According to the petition, Mamunul sharply criticised the instalment of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
 
The Hefazat leader warned the government that if it did not back down from its plan to build the sculpture, it would cause another incident like Shapla Chattar and throw away the sculpture.
 
On the other hand, Babungari said in a gathering, held at the Hathazari Parbati High School ground in Chattogram on the evening of 27 November, that if any sculpture is made, it will be dragged down.
 
Their arrogant statements have been widely published and disseminated in various national dailies and electronic media for the last few days.
 
The petition further said that Hefazat followers in Kushtia demolished an under-construction sculpture of Bangabandhu on the night of 4 December.