Janakantha convicted of contempt

The apex court today found Bangla daily Janakantha guilty of contempt over publishing an article relating to war criminal Salauddin Quader Chowdhury.

The daily’s editor and Publisher Atiqullah Khan Masud and Executive Editor Swadesh Roy were kept confined at court through today’s proceedings and fined Tk 10,000 each.

According to the order, they will have to pay the fine amount to a charitable organisation by seven days – in default of which they will suffer seven days of imprisonment.

A six-member bench of the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, delivered the verdict around 10:00am this morning.

The court warned the media and its lawyer saying that they cannot make such any criticism or statement that can influence the proceedings of cases and scandalise the court and its judges.

The court said it will give the guidelines in detail in the full verdict on this case.