A Dhaka Court on Thursday deferred the charge hearing to April 4, 2020 of a defamation case filed against former Advisor to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein for hurling abusive words at a female journalist, Masuda Bhatti, during a television talk show.
Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka CMM Court, Kaysarul Islam, passed the order after hearing two time prayers filed by the parties.
Advocate Mohiuddin Chowdhuy appeared in the court on behalf of Barrister Mainul Hosein while Advocate Farid Uddin stood for the opposition.
Masuda Bhatti filed the case against Barrister Mainul Hosein on October 21, 2018, for hurling of abusive words at her during a television talk show.
On the same day, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Noor issued an arrest warrant against Barrister Mainul after taking the charge brought against him into cognizance. Later Mr Mainul secured bail in the case from the High Court and from the trial court.
During the talk show aired on October 16, Masuda Bhatti told Mainul Hosein, “You say that you are in the Jatiya Oikya Front as a citizen of the country, but in social networking sites, many people are saying that you are there as a representative of Jamaat-e-Islami.”
Angered by the comment, Mainul Hosein said, “I’m thanking you for your audacity and I want to believe you as ‘characterless’. There’s no question about Jamaat link’s with me and what question you have asked is embarrassing for me.”
After such comments, there was a storm of criticism in the social media. Masuda demanded Mainul to apologise publicly for his remarks made in public. She also threatened him with legal action if he does not offer a public apology. As Mainul did not respond, Masuda started the case at the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka.
