Dinajpur mayor sent to jail for derogatory remarks on judge

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on Thursday sentenced Dinajpur municipality mayor Syed Jahangir Alam to one month in prison for making “derogatory remarks” against a judge of the division.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division, led by chief justice Obaidul Hassan, passed the order and fined him Tk 100,000, in default of which he will have to serve seven days more in prison.

The court also asked Mayor Jahangir to surrender before the Dinajpur Judicial Magistrate Court immediately.

Barrister Ruhul Kuddus stood for the mayor while attorney general AM Amin Uddin represented the state.

Earlier, on 24 August, Jahangir Alam appeared before the court and offered an unconditional apology to the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court.

The court also exempted him from appearing before the court in person and set 12 October for the next hearing.

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court on 17 August summoned the mayor and asked him to appear before the court on 24 August in person for making derogatory remarks against a judge.

The court also asked the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the video containing the mayor's remarks from the internet.

Four lawyers of the Supreme Court filed a contempt of court petition over the mayor making derogatory comments against chamber judge of the Appellate Division, M Enayetur Rahim, centring the verdict against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The four lawyers are advocates Harun-or-Rashid, Mahfuzur Rahman Roman, Md Moniruzzaman Rana and Shafique Raihan Shaon.

The SC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why mayor Jahangir should not be punished under the contempt of court rule and why directives should not be given to issue a show-cause notice against him.

Jahangir Alam was elected mayor of Dinajpur municipality in 2011.