Bangladesh: Contempt of court rule against expelled AL leader Jahangir

Bangladesh desk: The High Court on Wednesday issued contempt of court rule against four people, including expelled Awami League leader and Mayor of Gazipur City Corporation Jahangir Alam, in a land-related case.

An HC bench of Justice Mamnur Rahman and Justice Khandaker Diliruzzaman issued the rule after hearing on the case.

The court also asked the respondents to respond the rule within one week.

Barrister Abul Kalam Azad stood for the petitioner.

According to the case, land owner Ashraf Uddin from Mirzapur in Gazipur filed a petition bringing allegation of contempt of court rule against the four as mayor Jahangir and the three others prevented have him from using his land, claiming that the land was theirs.

The 42-year-old Jahangir Alam was expelled from the AL on November 19 for his remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the number of freedom fighters killed during the War of Liberation in 1971, at a programme back in September last.

Later, the video of his remarks went viral on Facebook on September 22. The video was four minutes in length where Jahangir was heard saying, “Our Bangabandhu had arranged the killing of 30 lakh (freedom fighters). Some 45,000 died in each of 64 districts. He had realised his own interest through it.”

There were more sensitive points in his remarks which were later termed ‘objectionable’ by a faction of Gazipur City Awami League.