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Journalism of Courage
DHAKA, JAN 24: President Shahabuddin ahmed today signed a government bill into law capable of punishing people for making derogatory remarks against Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Officials said Ahmed signed three bills into law, including "the preservation and display of portrait of father of the nation bill, 2001" at his office here.
The opposition-boycotted parliament last week which adopted the bill providing for three months jail or a fine of 185 dollar or both for making "written or verbal deragotory and harsh comments" against Sheikh Mujibur, who was assassinated in a 1975 coup. It also made it mandatory to preserve and display theportrait of the slain leader in all government, semi-government and autonomous institutions.
The provision has been relaxed for religious institutins.
Soon after coming to power in 1996, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed, Mujibur’s daughter, hung her father’s portrait in government offices instead of her own.
Sheikh Mujibur, the Awami League Chief until the time he was gunned down along with most of his family members in the coup, led the country’s 1971 independence war against Pakistan.
