Sedition cases against Babunagari, 2 others: PBI asked to submit probe reports by March 3

A Dhaka court today asked the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to submit by March 3 the probe reports of two sedition cases filed against Hefajat-e-Islam Bangladesh chief Junayed Babunagari, Hefajat Joint Secretary General Maulana Mamunul Haque and Islami Andolan Bangladesh Senior Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder passed the orders after PBI failed to submit any report today.

On December 7 last year, Aminul Islam Bulbul, president of Muktijuddho Moncho's central committee, filed a case against the trio with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder for their "disparaging" comments on sculptures.

Advocate Moshiur Malek, founder of Bangabandhu Foundation, filed another case against Mamunul Haque with the same court over the same allegation that day.

According to the case documents, the accused Mamunul made anti-state remarks on November 13 last year at the BMA Auditorium in the capital's Topkhana Road area, while Faizul made similar comments at an event in Dhaka's Gandaria the same day.

Hefajat Amir Babunagari also made anti-state remarks at an event in Hathazari, Chattogram on November 27 the same year.

The complainants said all the statements made by Babunagari, Mamunul and Faizul Karim are tantamount to sedition and go against the state.

The complainants also appealed to the court to issue arrest warrants against the accused for "tarnishing the image of the government and creating anarchy".