Dhaka, March 22 (IANS) Top leaders of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, have been sued for 'hurting Muslim sentiments' by a comparison with the prophet at a public function, a media report said.

A criminal case was filed at a Dhaka court Sunday against five JeI leaders, including its Ameer (chief) Maulana Motiur Rahman Nizami and Secretary General Ali Ahsan Mohammad Mojaheed.

According to the complaint, Dhaka city JeI chief Rafiqul Islam Khan at a discussion in Dhaka March 17 compared Nizami to Prophet Muhammad, which hurt the Muslims, reported The Daily Star.

The three other accused are Jamaat-e-Islami Nayebe Ameer (deputy chief) Delwar Hossain Sayedee, Rafiqul Islam Khan and city president of Islami Chhatra Shibir A.S.M. Yahia.

Meanwhile, a court in Lalmonirhat in northern Bangladesh Sunday issued summons to Nizami and three of his party leaders to appear before it May 25 in a case filed on a similar charge.

Syed Rejaul Haque Chandpuri, secretary general of Bangladesh Tarikat Federation, filed the case at a metropolitan magistrate's court in Dhaka against five JeI leaders.

Metropolitan Magistrate Abdullah-Al Mamun will pass a formal order Tuesday, The Daily Star said.

Nizami and Mojaheed denied the accusation and said they were victims of media propaganda against them and the party.