Case against Barguna UNO withdrawn

A defamation case filed against Barguna Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tariq Salman for distributing invitation cards with allegedly a distorted portrait of Bangabandhu has been withdrawn.

Obaidullah Sazu, a former leader of the Barisal Awami League, sued the UNO in a Tk 5 crore defamation case last month over publishing the “distorted” portrait of Bangabandhu, drawn by a child in a competition, on invitation cards. The portrait was made on the occasion of Independence Day last year at Agailjhara upazila.

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Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate of Barisal Amit Kumar Dey today disposed of the case after Sazu prayed for withdrawal of the case.

Sazu said in the petition that he sued the UNO following a “misunderstanding”, our Barisal correspondent reports.

Tariq was released on bail Wednesday afternoon two hours into his arrest.

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After the PM criticised the filing of the case against the UNO and his subsequent arrest, which triggered an outrage on social media, the Awami League suspended Sazu for his "over enthusiasm" on Friday.

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Many praised the UNO's idea of placing a fifth-grader's drawing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the invitation cards.

Yesterday, six policemen of a Barisal court were closed to police lines in connection with negligence of duty over the arrest of Tariq.