Dhaka: The appellate division on Wednesday issued a contempt rule against publisher as well as editor Atikullah Khan Masud and executive editor Shawdesh Roy of the Bangla daily Janakantha for publishing a news item tarnishing the court’s image.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division of the court, led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha, issued the rule.

Three other members of the bench are Justice Nazmul Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmood Hossain and Justice Hasan Foez Siddique.

The court ordered Atikullah Kahn Masud and Shawdesh Roy to appear before it by 9:00am on 3 August and explain why punitive actions will not be taken against them for contempt of court proceedings.

The court issued the rule as an article, published on the Bangla daily on 16 July, tarnished the image of the court and questioned magistracy of the judiciary, said Attorney General Mahbubey Alam.

The court also ordered the attorney general to collect details about Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker.