UNO gets bail in case over distorting Bangabandhu portrait

Tariq Salman, upazila nirbahi officer of Barguna Sadar, was released on bail Wednesday afternoon in a case filed for allegedly distorting the portrait of Bangabandhu.

The case was lodged against him after an invitation card, with the portrait of Bangabandhu painted by a child on the occasion of Independence Day last year at Agailjhara upazila, was published by him.

Obaidullah Saju, religious affairs secretary of Barisal District Awami League and president of Barisal Lawyers' Association, filed the Tk 5 crore deformation case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM) Court in June.

After filling of the case, he was transferred to Barguna Sadar from Agailjhara upazila.

The CMM court asked the UNO to appear before it by July 27. He surrendered to the court and applied for bail yesterday but his prayer was initially rejected because he did not have necessary documents, said Sakhawat Hossain, bench officer of the CMM court.

However, two hours later he was granted bail when he produced the papers, he added. During the period, the officer was in the custody of the court.

After giving him bail, the court fixed July 23 for hearing the case.

The case triggered a social media outcry with many praising the UNO's move of placing Bangabandhu's portrait painted by a child on the invitation card.

On different occasions, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina used children's paintings on her formal greeting cards in the past. Last year, she used the artwork of children with autism.