The bail application of Baul artist Abul Sarkar, arrested on charges of making derogatory remarks about Allah and defaming religion, has been rejected by the court.
This information was provided by the Manikganj District and Sessions Judge Court on Monday afternoon.
The lawyer for the state, Public Prosecutor (PP) AFM Nuruzzaman Alam Bahar, said, “If someone makes comments about the Creator or the Quran without knowledge, it spreads confusion in society. The matter has been presented seriously in court. After reviewing the documents, the court has rejected the bail application.”
The lawyer for the defense said, “We applied for bail legally. Under the section in which the case is filed, the court could have granted bail if it wished. However, granting or denying bail is entirely within the court’s jurisdiction. If the accused consents, a fresh bail application will be made in the higher court.”
Meanwhile, tension arose in the court premises during the bail hearing. Over 50 lawyers marched in the court compound demanding the maximum punishment for Abul Sarkar. They kept chanting slogans demanding strict punishment for the incident of hurting religious sentiments.
Court officials stated that this is the first time such a protest by lawyers has occurred in the Manikganj court premises.
Prior to this, on 4 November, at a music program in Ghior Upazila, Abul Sarkar allegedly made derogatory remarks about Islam and Allah’s creation.
At the programme, he recited a verse from the Quran and translated it into Bengali incorrectly, and commented that Allah’s creation is “without head or tail”.
Devout Muslims present at the event expressed anger. Later, a video spread on social media.
After the video went viral, an imam of a local mosque filed a case. Later, police arrested him and produced him in court. Following the incident, counter-programs took place in the district and various parts of the country.
In connection with this incident, a counter-case has been filed by the Baul community, naming 200 members of the Tawhidi Janata as accused. However, police have not yet arrested anyone in that case.
