HSBC faces copyright case by songwriter Apple

HSBC officials in Bangladesh face a copyright infringement case by composer and lyricist Apple Mahmud, who accuses them of marketing his songs without his permission. Mahmud said he was filing a case against the three top HSBC officials in Dhaka, but the Chief Metropolitan Magistrates Court refused to accept the case on Thursday as it was not the proper authority to accept a copyright case. The songwriter said he would file the case again on Sunday against HSBC chief executive Sanjay Prakash, chief of corporate banking Md Mahbubur Rahman and chief of finance Mustafa Amin Aolad for violation of copyright. Mahmud claims the three were responsible for the sale of a CD containing his songs, such as Mora ekti phulke banchabo bole juddho kori (Just save one flower we fight a war) and Tir Hara Ai Dheuer Sagor Pari Debore (This endless rough sea we will cross), without his permission. He said they marketed the CD with the title `Sotoborsher Bangla Gaan (A Century of Bangla Song)', performed by other artistes. Mahmud's lawyer Abdul Mannan Khan told reporters that he would file the case again Sunday at Dhaka district judges court. Mahmud was present at the time.