MA Latif, ruling Awami League lawmaker from Chittagong-11 constituency, today blamed designers for distorting the portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Bangabandhu’s face was allegedly tagged with the figure of Latif. The lawmaker’s name was at the bottom of the festoons. In the image, Bangabandhu's face was used on a body wearing salwar and sneakers.

At a press conference in port city Chittagong today, Latif presented graphics designer Kabir Hossain and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry stuff Rajib Das, who admitted to their fault and involvement in the incident.

Within hours of the conference, President of Chittagong city unit AL and former mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury rejected Latif’s statement, and said, “Criminals will say anything to hide their crimes. Such statements are not acceptable.”

“After joining Awami League from Jamaat, Latif is trying to besmirch Awami League’s image,” Mohiuddin added.

MA Latif had been constantly denying his involvement in the incident since the distorted photo went viral on social media.

At today’s conference, Latif claimed that he knew nothing about distorting Bangabandhu’s image.

“It is the fault of the designers of the graphics shop concerned.”

Designer Kabir Hossain said, “A poor quality of Bangabandhu’s image was given for the work. So, I called Rajib Das to send a photo of a person wearing Mujib coat. Rajib then sent me a photo of MA Latif. I tagged Bangabandhu’s face on Latif’s body.”

On the other hand, Rajib Das also echoed Kabir’s statement at the press conference, reports our Chittagong correspondent.

Meanwhile, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported on February 4 that Saifuddin Ahmed Robi, a former central committee member of AL’s youth front Jubo League, filed a Tk 1,000 crore defamation suit with Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court.

Taking the case into cognisance, Judge Farid Ahmed ordered an additional deputy police commissioner to investigate the matter and submit the report by the next 15 days.