YouTube channel 'DSN' also named as accused

Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir has been sued over "hurting religious sentiments."

Ridwan Hossain Robin, a pro-BNP lawyer, filed the case today under sections 298 and 34 of the Penal Code with the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Joshita Islam, according to Sayed Nazrul Islam, lawyer for the complainant.

A YouTube channel named "DSN" was also made an accused in the case.

Nazmul Hasan Talukder, bench assistant of the court, told The Daily Star that the magistrate recorded the complainant's statement and directed the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police to submit a report by January 27, after investigating the case.

According to the case statement, Shishir Manir, widely known as a pro-Jamaat lawyer, allegedly equated fasting during Ramadan ("roza") with "puja" in a recent remark, which was later disseminated through the YouTube channel, DSN.

The complainant argued that the comparison -- describing "roza" and "puja" as "two sides of the same coin" -- "deliberately hurt the religious sentiments" of Bangladeshi Muslims and "created tension".

The complainant further alleged that the act was intentional and politically motivated, aimed at gaining advantage in the upcoming election.

Shishir, in a Facebook post, responded saying, "We believe in the rule of law. The law will take its own course. We will take effective action in this regard in due course in the appropriate court."