Coca-Cola has distorted Bangla words through it campaign, says the High Court.
The bench of Justices FRM Nazmul Ahsan and KM Kamrul Kader made the remarks on Monday (Mar 11) while hearing a petition seeking a ban on the campaign.
The beverage company organised the campaign titled “Nikhoj Shobder Khoje”, throughout February hoping to revive some of the once widely used Bengali words that are in the danger of being forgotten.
During Coca-Cola’s month-long campaign titled it received a total of 5,500 word submissions nominated as Bengali words and sifted through the list to finalise 336 words.


Lawyer Md Moniruzzaman Rana, also the petitioner, moved for the writ while Barrister Tanzib-ul-Alam represented Coca-Cola in court.
Deputy Attorney General Barrister ABM Abdullah Al Mahmud Bashar stood for the state.
During the hearing, The High Court bench told Coca-Cola’s lawyer: “The Bangla words printed on the labels of Coca-Cola bottles are offensive and dishonor the Bangla Language.”
“Such words cannot be considered Bangla words because they discredit the language,” the court said before fixing Tuesday (Mar 12) to give it order.
“The court has concluded hearing the matter. However, it also directed us to amend some parts of our writ,” petitioner Moniruzzaman told Bangla Tribune after the hearing,
On Feb 27, the writ was filed with the High Court seeking its directives to ban the production and advertisement of Coca-Cola bottles that were labeled with such Bangla words.
The secretary of the Law Ministry, secretary of the Information Ministry, secretary of the Cultural Affairs Ministry, secretary of the Education Ministry, director general of Bangla Academy, and the Coca-Cola beverage company were made defendants in the petition.