Case filed on Tulee as hurting religious sentiments
Staff Reporter :
A case has been filed against Sanjida Islam Tulee, the BNP-nominated candidate for Dhaka-14 constituency and a prominent coordinator of Maayer Daak, on allegations that she made remarks deemed insulting to Islam and hurtful to religious sentiments.
The complaint was submitted on Wednesday before Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Arifur Rahman by Hossain Mohammad Anwar, also known as Anwar Hossain, a businessman. Following the filing, Magistrate Rahman recorded the complainant’s statement and directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to initiate a probe and submit a report.
Mahmudul Hasan, the lawyer representing the plaintiff, confirmed the filing to reporters, saying the complaint concerned comments attributed to Tulee regarding Islamic marriage laws.
According to the statements submitted to the court, Tulee-who is also the sister of a BNP leader who disappeared years ago-allegedly made “disparaging” remarks about the Islamic provision of marriage. The complaint claims that her comments amounted to an insult to Islam and constituted an affront to the religious sentiments of Muslims.
The case documents cite Article 41 of the Constitution, which guarantees the freedom to practice religion as a fundamental right. They further argue that marriage is defined as a religious rite in Islam and refer to Quranic verses permitting a Muslim man to marry up to four wives.
The complaint also references the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, which requires the application of Islamic principles in matters related to marriage, maintenance, and divorce for Muslim citizens. “While an individual may choose not to practice religion, no one has the right to insult religion or hurt religious beliefs,” the documents state.
The complainant argues that Tulee’s alleged comments fall under acts punishable by Section 295(A) of the Penal Code, which deals with deliberate and malicious acts intended to insult religious beliefs.
Context and Political Sensitivity
Tulee is widely known as a key organiser within Maayer Daak, a platform led by families of victims of enforced disappearances. Her nomination from Dhaka-14 by the BNP has drawn attention, particularly as the election season intensifies and political tensions rise.
As of Wednesday evening, Tulee had not publicly responded to the allegations. BNP leaders also refrained from immediate comment.
The PBI investigation, once initiated, will determine whether the allegations have sufficient basis for further legal proceedings. The court is expected to review the PBI’s findings upon submission of the investigation report.