Dhaka: The appellate division on Monday asked Bangla daily Janakantha editor and publisher Atiquallah Khan Masud and executive editor Swadesh Roy to explain a contempt rule by 9 August.

A four-member High Court bench led by Surendra Kumar Sinha granted a time petition submitted by the editors.

The other members of the bench are Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, and Justice Hassan Foyez Siddique.

Advocate Salauddin Dolon participated during the hearing on behalf of Atiquallah Khan Masud and Swadesh Roy while attorney general Mahbubey Alam was the prosecution lawyer.

Earlier, on 29 July, the HC bench issued a contempt rule against the editors of Janakantha for publishing a news item tarnishing the court’s image.

The court ordered the editors to appear before the court on 3 August and explain why punitive actions will not be taken against them for contempt of court proceedings.

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