Parody may lead to treason charges

A Bangladeshi newspaper which published a parody of the national anthem has had its offices raided by police.

This follows the issuing of arrest warrants for the editor of the right-wing Inquilab newspaper, A M M Bahauddin, its publisher, A S M Baquiullah, and the man who wrote the parody, A S Mosharaff.

Police also raided their homes, but did not find the three men.

Staff at the newspaper said the three would go to court voluntarily to fight the charges of sedition which, under Bangladeshi law, can be punishable by death.

The charges have been brought by the Bangladeshi Home Ministry which argues that the parody is an act of treason.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service