The High Court has rejected the writ petition of Qazi Anwar Hossain owner of Seba Prokashoni claiming the copyright of 260 books of the popular thriller series ‘Masud Rana’.
The court also said the copyright of 50 books of ‘Kusaha’ series will remain seized.
The HC bench of Justice Md Ashfaqul Islam and Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order on Monday, reports UNB.
Barrister ABM Hamidul Misbah presented the petitioner’s side while lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan and Iftabul Kamal Ayan appeared for the Copyright office.
On July 29, 2019, author Sheikh Abdul Hakim submitted a complaint against Qazi Anwar Hossain for violating sections 71 and 89 of the Copyright Act by depriving him of the author rights of those books of Masud Rana and Kuasha series.
On June 14, 2020, the Copyright office passed its decision in favour of Sheikh Abdul Hakim.
Jafar Raza Chowdhury, registrar of Bangladesh Copyright office said, Sheikh Abdul Hakim was given author rights only in one of the Masud Rana series and six of Kuahsa series books but he has proved his authorship for the remaining ones.
“Sheikh Abdul Hakim will have to separately appeal for each book for the author's right and copyright,” he said.
The copyright office in its order directed the defense to stop publication and commercial use of the claimed and enlisted books until further order of the court or the copyright board.
It also directed the defense to submit the statement of account of the sold books, number of sold books and the number of editions of the books that have registered copyright to the petitioner within 30 days.
Qazi Anwar Hossain later filed a writ challenging the order of the copyright office.
On September 10, 2020, The High Court stayed the decision of Copyright Office Bangladesh for one month.
The court asked the Cultural Affairs Secretary, Copyright Office Bangladesh, Registrar of Copyright and Copyright Board to explain why the Copyright Office’s June 14 decision should not be declared illegal.
Unfortunately on August 29, this year Sheikh Abdul Hakim, the ghostwriter of the popular spy thriller series 'Masud Rana', passed away at the age of 75, after losing his long battle with bronchitis.