The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh on Thursday ordered the authorities to ban the dissemination of all the "hate speeches" of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the media and on social networking platforms.
It follows a recent speech by Hasina, her first public address since fleeing Bangladesh four months back, in which she mounted a stinging attack on the country's interim leader Muhammad Yunus, accusing him of perpetrating "genocide" and failing to protect minorities including Hindus.
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported that a two-member tribunal led by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder passed the order and directed the authorities to remove all the "hate speeches" of Hasina from social media and take necessary steps to stop their dissemination in future in all types of mass media.
Prosecutor Advocate Abdullah Al Noman said that the tribunal has directed the secretaries of the ICT Division, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to implement the order.
The prosecution had submitted the petition earlier, seeking the removal and restriction of all kinds of hate speech and incitement by the deposed prime minister that may intimidate the witnesses or victims or hinder investigation.
Earlier, prosecutor Gazi MH Tamim briefed the media in this regard, saying not only in Bangladesh, making hate speech is a criminal offence in every law and every country around the world.
Sheikh Hasina made speeches where she was heard saying that she got the license to kill 227 people as the same number of cases were filed against her. She was even heard giving threats to the victims and witnesses of the cases against her through these speeches," said Tamim.
Speaking in remarks given to her supporters from New York as she attends an event where she now lives in India, Hasina claimed the plans for her assassination with her sister Sheikh Rehana were there just like they did with their father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who was murdered in 1975.
Terming the Bangladesh places of worship under attack and saying the present regime has absolutely failed to address the issue, Hasina termed Yunus "power-hungry".
The premier spoke at a gathering addressed by supporters of her Awami League party to celebrate "Bijoy Dibos," or Victory Day that Bangladesh commemorates on December 16.
While Hasina made several statements over the last few months, it was her first public address after taking shelter, said an expert closely tracking developments in Bangladesh.
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