Defamation case filed against Tarique, Fakhrul

A defamation case has been filed against BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman and the party’s Acting Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir for their recent derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and disfiguring the history of the country. AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami league organisation, filed the case with Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (CMM) on Monday. According to the case statement, at a discussion on September 2, Tarique Rahman, who has been staying in London since 2008, claimed Ziaur Rahman was the country’s first president. In the case, the complainant also claimed that Tarique, at a seminar in London on August 24, said “All of the ruling Awami League leaders and activists are black sheep and the prime minister herself is the leader of them”. Besides, AB Siddique further alleged that on September 5, Fakhrul Islam said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had ended his March 7, 1971 speech saying ‘Joy Pakistan’ and he didn’t make any announcement for the much hyped independence war. “Their (Tarique and Fakhrul) remarks have disfigured the history of the country and tarnished the image of Bangabandhu and prime minister,” Siddique said in his complaint. Hearing of the case is likely to be held at the court of magistrate Erfan Ullah in this noon. — risingbd.com