TDS Desk:

The Appellate Division has summoned journalist Kanak Sarwar and Supreme Court lawyer Mahsin Rashid over allegations of contempt of court.

They are required to appear before the court on 21 July to provide their explanations. Until then, lawyer Mahsin Rashid cannot practise in the Supreme Court.

In a hearing on Thursday, the six-judge bench led by Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan passed the order.

Prior to the order, excerpts of Kanak Sarwar’s comments, deemed disrespectful by the court, were displayed on the digital screen of the courtroom.

The application for contempt of court was filed on 26 June by Shahid Zaya Shyamoli against the journalist and lawyer.

Lawyer Tapos Kanti represented the applicant before the court. Following the hearing, the lawyer said, “Alongside the summon, the Supreme Court has directed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the video of the contemptuous remarks from social media.”

In 2013, Chowdhury Mueen-Uddin, affiliated with Jamaat-e-Islami’s associate organisation Al-Badr Bahini, was sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for killing intellectuals and crimes against humanity. In 2019, the UK’s Home Office published a report on Muinuddin’s war crimes, including his involvement in genocidal crimes.

After the verdict of the case, journalist Konok Sarwar hosted a talk show on his online TV platform on 21 June this year. Senior lawyer of the Supreme Court, Mahsin Rashid, attended as a guest on the show. During the discussion, both the host and the guest criticised the judicial process and the judiciary department in Bangladesh.