Publisher Shut Down by Bangladesh Authorities

By Dianna Dilworth 

Bangladeshi police shut down a stall at the Ekushey Book Fair in Bangladesh for selling a book that allegedly threatens “religious sentiments.”

Three people from the publishing house were arrested this week for promoting the book at the book fair. Global Voices has the scoop:

Police say they learned from social media that the book ‘Islam Bitarka’ (The Islam Debate) by Ba-Dwip Prokashony (Ba-Dwip Publications) allegedly has content that “offends Islam” — specifically, a chapter titled “Muslim Manosher Jouna Bikriti (Sex Perversion of the Muslim Mind)”. Under national law, any person who has a “deliberate” or “malicious” intention of “hurting religious sentiments” can be prosecuted.