Bashundhara bosses, four editors sued
Whip Shamsul of Ctg files the defamation lawsuit against 11
Jatiya Sangsad Whip Shamsul Haque yesterday filed a Tk 500-crore defamation case against 11 people, including Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and its Managing Director Sayem Sobhan Anvir, over publication of "fake, fabricated and baseless" news items in various newspapers and a TV channel run by the Group.
Lawyer Dipak Kumar Shil lodged the case with the Joint District Judge's Court in Patiya on behalf of the Awami league Lawmaker from Chattogram-12.
The other accused are Bangladesh Pratidin Editor and News24 TV CEO Naem Nizam; Kaler Kantho Editor Imdadul Haq Milan; The Daily Sun Editor Enamul Haque Chowdhury; Bangladesh Pratidin reporters Saidur Rahman Rimon, and Mohammed Selim; and its Chattogram Bureau Chief Reaz Hyder Chowdhury; Kaler Kantho reporter SM Rana; and the editor of Banglanews24.com.
Dipak said the court accepted the case and fixed September 23 for hearing.
According to the case statement, using their media outlets, Akbar Sobhan and his son Anvir, also managing director of East West Media Group Ltd, published fake, baseless, and fabricated news reports out of personal enmity, bringing false allegations of corruption and unlawful activities against Shamsul and his son Nazmul Karim Chowdhury Sharun.
The publication of more than a hundred such news reports harmed the social status and political reputation of Shamsul and his family, affecting the lawmaker mentally, physically and financially, it mentioned.
Lawyer Dipak said his client filed the defamation case for compensation, showing respect to law.
Citing from the case statement, the lawyer said, "The accused published fake, baseless and fabricated news reports one after another in their media outlets out of personal enmity with my client and his son, tarnishing their personal, social and political image."
"Several notices were sent to them over this [publication of the news items] but they did not respond. My client said he has no enmity with the journalists of the media outlets under Bashundhara Group but he had no choice but to go for a legal battle," said Dipak, also senior vice president of Patiya Lawyers' Association.