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1The Penal Code, 1860

( ACT NO. XLV OF 1860 )

Chapter XXII

2OF CRIMINAL INTIMIDATION, INSULT, PREJUDICIAL ACT AND ANNOYANCE

Criminal intimidation
503. Whoever threatens another with any injury to his person, reputation or property, or to the person or reputation of any one in whom that person is interested, with intent to cause to alarm to that person, or to cause that person to do any act which he is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do any act which that person is legally entitled to do, as the means of avoiding the execution of such threat, commits criminal intimidation.
 
 
Explanation.-A threat to injure the reputation of any deceased person in whom the person threatened is interested, is within this section.
 
 
Illustration
 
 
A, for the purpose of inducing B to desist from prosecuting a civil suit, threatens to burn B's house. A is guilty of criminal intimidation.
Intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace
504. Whoever intentionally insults, and thereby gives provocation to any person, intending or knowing it to be likely that such provocation will cause him to break the public peace, or to commit any other offence, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
Statements conducing to public mischief
505. Whoever makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report,
 
 
(a) with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, any officer, soldier, sailor or airman in the Army, Navy or Air Force of Bangladesh to mutiny or otherwise disregard or fail in his duty as such; or
 
 
(b) with intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public or to any section of the public whereby any person may be induced to commit an offence against the state or against the public tranquility; or
 
 
(c) with intent to incite, or which is likely to incite, any class or community of persons to commit any offence against any other class or community 3[; or
 
 
(d) with intent to create or promote, or which is likely to create or promote, feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different communities, classes or sections of people,]
 
 
shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to 4[seven years], or with fine, or with both.
 
 
Exception.It does not amount to an offence, within the meaning of this section, when the person making, publishing or circulating any such statement, rumour or report, has reasonable grounds for believing that such statement, rumour or report is true and makes, publishes or circulates it without any such intent as aforesaid.
Prejudicial act by words, etc.
5[505A. Whoever-
 
 
(a) by words, either spoken or written, or by signs or by visible representation or otherwise does anything, or
 
 
(b) makes, publishes or circulates any statement, rumour or report,
 
 
which is, or which is likely to be prejudicial to the interests of the security of Bangladesh or public order, or to the maintenance of friendly relations of Bangladesh with foreign states or to the maintenance of supplies and services essential to the community, shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.]
Punishment for criminal intimidation
506. Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both;
and if the threat be to cause death or grievous hurt, or to cause the destruction of any property by fire, or to cause an offence punishable with death or 6[imprisonment for life], or with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years, or to impute unchastity to a woman, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to seven years, or with fine, or with both.
Criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication
507. Whoever commits the offence of criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication, or having taken precaution to conceal the name or abode of the person from whom the threat comes, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, in addition to the punishment provided for the offence by the last preceding section.
Act caused by inducing person to believe that he will be rendered an object of the Divine displeasure
508. Whoever voluntarily causes or attempts to cause any person to do anything which that person is not legally bound to do, or to omit to do anything which he is legally entitled to do, by inducing or attempting to induce that person to believe that he or any person in whom he is interested will become or will be rendered by some act of the offender an object of Divine displeasure if he does not do the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to do, or if he does the thing which it is the object of the offender to cause him to omit, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
 
 
Illustrations
 
 
(a) A sits dhurna at Z's door with the intention of causing it to be believed that, by so sitting, he renders Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
 
 
(b) A threatens Z that, unless Z performs a certain act, A will kill one of A's own children, under such circumstances that the killing would be believed to render Z an object of Divine displeasure. A has committed the offence defined in this section.
Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman
509. Whoever, intending to insult the modesty of any woman, utters any word, makes any sound or gesture, or exhibits any object, intending that such word or sound shall be heard, or that such gesture or object shall be seen, by such woman, or intrudes upon the privacy of such woman, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.
Misconduct in public by a drunken person
510. Whoever, in a state of intoxication appears in any public place, or in any place which it is a trespass in him to enter, and there conducts himself in such a manner as to cause annoyance to any person, shall be punished with simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to twenty-four hours, or with fine which may extend to ten taka, or with both.
 
 

  • 1
    Throughout this Act, except otherwise provided, the words “Bangladesh”, “Government”, “the Government” and “Taka” were substituted, for the words “Pakistan”, “Central or any Provincial Government” or “Central Government or any Provincial Government” or “Central Government” or “the Provincial Government” or “Provincial Government” and “rupees” respectively by section 3 and 2nd Schedule of the Bangladesh Laws (Revision And Declaration) Act, 1973 (Act No. VIII of 1973).
  • 2
    The comma and words “, PREJUDICIAL ACT AND ANNOYANCE” were substituted, for the words “AND ANNOYANCE” by section 6 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1991 (Act No. XV of 1991).
  • 3
    The semi-colon and word “; or” were substituted, for the comma “,” at the end of clause (c) and thereafter new clause (d) was inserted by section 7 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1991 (Act No. XV of 1991).
  • 4
    The words “seven years” were substituted, for the words “two years” by section 7 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1991 (Act No. XV of 1991).
  • 5
    Section 505A was inserted by section 8 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Act, 1991 (Act No. XV of 1991).
  • 6
    The words “imprisonment for life” were substituted, for the word “transportation” by section 22 of the Penal Code (Amendment) Ordinance, 1985 (Ordinance No. XLI of 1985).
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