Dhaka: The Appellate Division on Thursday fined Bangla daily Janakantha editor and publisher Atiquallah Khan Masud, and executive editor Swadesh Roy Tk 10,000 on contempt of court charges. 

A six-member bench of appellate division led by Chief Justice Surendra Kumar Sinha also ordered Atiqullah Khan and Swadesh Roy to stay in the court room for the day till the court procedures concluded.

The court handed over a week of imprisonment for them if they don’t pay the monetary penalty.

The other members of the bench are Justice Abdul Wahhab Mia, Justice Nazmun Ara Sultana, Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Justice Mohammad Iman Ali, and Justice Hassan Foyez Siddiqque.

Earlier, on 10 August Attorney general Muhbubey Alam during a hearing of contempt rule said, ‘The news item published in Daily Janakantha ahead of the verdict of Salauddin Quader Chowdhury contempt the court procedures. The news tries to affect the verdict and spreads misconception among people.’

An editorial published on 16 July’s Janakantha said the family members of Salauddin Chowdhury met with the Chief Justice.

On 23 July, the appellate division summoned Atiqullah Khan and Swadesh Roy for publishing report on a case which is under trail.

Later on 29 July, the HC bench issued a contempt rule against the editors of Janakantha for publishing the 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.