Information secy sued for defaming Bangabandhu

An Awami League leader yesterday filed a defamation case against incumbent information secretary on charges of writing a verse criticising Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members.
Moulana Mohammad Elias Hossain Bin Helali, president of Bangladesh Awami Olama League Central Committee, filed the case against Information Secretary ATM Fazlul Karim alias Abu Karim with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka for committing the offence.
After the hearing, Metropolitan Magistrate Kanika Bishwas recorded statement of the complainant and fixed March 2 for order on the issue subject to submission of a copy of the book.
In his complaint, Helali mentioned that the accused had written a verse titled 'Baganey Phutey Achhey Anek Golap' in February 2006 and the Suchipatra Prokashana published the book in Ekushey Book Fair in 2008.
The Daily Amader Samoy published an excerpt from the book on February 20 this year and the complainant learnt it from the daily. The daily quoted different important points from the verse that defamed, undermined and criticised Bangabandhu and his family members.
In the book, the writer called Bangabandhu Latifur Rahman and also called him Alubokhra, Sheikh Kamal Kamalakoli, Sheikh Jamal Jamtoli and Sheikh Russel Roskali, the complainant said.
Such defamatory writings have damaged and undermined the image of Bangabandhu's living family members-- Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana-- and his party Bangladesh Awami League and its front organisations.
It also damaged the image of all leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami Olama League.
The accused defamed the independence achieved through molestation of two lakh mothers and sisters and the sacrifices of 30 lakh martyrs. Such heinous offences and activities are subversive to the state as well as to the disciplines, the complainant added.
Meantime, in a statement, leaders of Dhaka City Awami League (AL) yesterday expressed their resentment over the defamation of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members.
City AL acting president MA Aziz and acting general secretary advocate Kamrul Islam urged the authorities concerned to dismiss the anti-independence and dissident secretary from the service and take him to book.
The leaders also urged to take stringent actions against the publisher of the book under the Press and Publications Act.