Staff Correspondent:

An application has been filed against the daily Prothom Alo for allegedly hurting religious sentiments by publishing a cartoon featuring a dog alongside an “Eid Mubarak” greeting.

The editor, publisher, and graphics designer of the newspaper have been accused.

A person named Nazrul Islam filed the case application with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md. Saifuzzaman on Monday.

The court recorded the plaintiff’s statement and set next Sunday for passing an order.

According to the case application, on March 30, Prothom Alo published a satirical cartoon titled “Eid Mubarak” across the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th columns of its front page, which included a picture of a dog.

The applicant claimed that this satirical cartoon dishonored the sacred festival of Islam. As a national daily, Prothom Alo showed no hesitation in mocking such a holy religious occasion like Eid.

By depicting a cartoon of a dog with a lewd, humorous expression to illustrate human joy, the sanctity of Eid and the religious sentiments of the Muslim Ummah were gravely insulted.

The applicant further alleged that this act was a deliberate and well-planned conspiracy aimed at dishonoring and undermining the sacred religious festival of Eid-ul-Fitr.

The accused knowingly, intentionally, and willfully disrespected the holy festival of Islam through the publication of this satirical cartoon, thereby grievously offending the religious sentiments of the Muslim’s.