[CNN] Bangladesh convicts teacher for Facebook post about prime minister

Dhaka, Bangladesh (CNN) -- A Bangladeshi university teacher was convicted Wednesday of wishing death to the prime minister on his Facebook wall.
The Bangladesh High Court handed down a six-month sentence to M Ruhul Amin on a contempt charge, saying he failed to comply with a court order after his remarks on Facebook, said deputy attorney general ABM Altaf Hossain.
Amin, who teaches Information Technology at Jahangirnagar University and is in Australia on a study leave, was not available for comment.
Hossain said Amin was tried in absentia.
After the August road accident death of Tareq Masud, a leading filmmaker in Bangladesh, Amin used his Facebook status to blame the government's negligence for many deaths in road accidents. He also wished death to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the court said.
Justice AHM Shamsuddin Chowdhury and Justice Jahangir Hossain asked the government to take measures to bring Amin back from Australia so he can be jailed.
The court also asked the university to take action against Amin.
Bangladesh state transport authorities estimate up to 4,000 people every year die in road accidents. Independent researchers say they believe the actual number of deaths is much higher.

http://edition.cnn.com/2012/01/04/world/asia/bangladesh-facebook-conviction/index.html?eref=edition_asia

[BBC] Bangladesh man given jail term for PM Hasina Facebook post

 

Ruhul Khandakar was found guilty in absentia of contempt of court after failing to return from Australia in response to a court summons.
Last year Mr Khandakar posted comments implying that he wanted Sheikh Hasina to die, high court officials said.
His comment reportedly related to Bangladesh's high road fatality rate.
It was posted following the death of one of the country's best known film makers, Tareq Masud, in a road accident in August, which left many Bangladeshis deeply shocked.
According to officials, Ruhul Khandakar blamed the government for the fact there are so many road deaths in Bangladesh.
"Tareq Masud died as a result of government giving licence to unqualified drivers. Many die, why does not Sheikh Hasina die?" his Facebook post said, according to court officials quoted by the AFP news agency.
When the comments appeared in the media, there were protests by the prime minister's supporters.
The high court ordered officials to return Mr Khandakar, who is studying in Australia, to Bangladesh. It also directed his university employers to take action against him.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16413210

Related Stories

Film-maker Masud dies in accident 15 AUGUST 2011

From other news sites

• CNN Bangladesh convicts teacher over Facebook post 

• Indian Express Facebook status wishing Hasinas death earns Bangladesh lecturer six-month jail term 

• Total Telecom Bangladeshi gets jail term over Facebook status 

• Washington Post Bangladeshi jailed for Facebook post on prime minister, and 7 other posts that got people arrested 

An University Teacher sentenced to 6 months jail for his Facebook status

The High Court awarded a teacher of Jahangirnagar University (JU) six months’ jail for disregarding a court summon in connection with a “derogatory comment” about the prime minister on social networking website Facebook.

Muhammad Ruhul Amin Khandaker, a lecturer of the Department of Information and Technology who is now in Australia, did not respond to a HC rule issued in August to explain his comment and later again a summon issued last month to appear before the court.

The HC has directed the foreign secretary to take steps immediately to bring Ruhul Amin back from Australia through diplomatic channel.

The HC bench of Justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Justice Jahangir Hossain Selim passed the verdict Wednesday two days after the JU teacher failed to respond to an HC summon.

After the death of filmmaker Tareque Masud and journalist Ashfaque Munier Mishuk in a road accident in Manikganj, Ruhul Amin commented on his Facebook page on August 13 why Sheikh Hasina does not die when many people were dying in road accidents.

The HC bench, on August 18 last year, issued a rule asking Ruhul Amin to explain in two weeks why he should not be prosecuted for his “derogatory comment”.

On December 12, the HC asked Ruhul Amin to appear before it on January 2 to explain why he should not be punished for committing contempt of court by not responding to its earlier order.

In its verdict, the HC ordered the inspector general of police to arrest Ruhul Amin without any delay on his return to the country.

Deputy Attorney General ABM Altaf Hossain told The Daily Star that the HC fixed Thursday for passing its judgement on a rule which it issued against Amin for posting the comment.

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/latest_news.php?nid=34879