Defamation case proceedings against Barrister Mainul stayed

The High Court on Thursday stayed for three months the trial proceedings of a defamation case filed against former advisor to the caretaker government Barrister Mainul Hosein by a woman journalist over a talk-show issue.

The court also issued a rule requiring the concerned bodies of the government to explain as to why the trial proceedings of the case should not be declared illegal.

The High Court bench of Justice Mustafa Zaman Islam and Justice Md Aminul Islam passed the order after hearing a petition filed by Barrister Mainul Hosein challenging the trial proceedings of the case.

Barrister Mainul himself appeared in court hearing in support of his petition filed on October 23 this year.

Masuda Bhatti filed the case against Barrister Mainul on October 21, 2018, on charge of casting abusive words at her during a television talk show.

The case is now in charge frame hearing level in a Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka, said Advocate Abdur Rahim, an associate of Barrister Mainul.

The case was filed based on a remarks passed by Barrister Mainul Hosein after being embarrassed by an unusual query of Bhatti if Mainul Hosein was representing Jamaat-e-Islami in the Jatiya Oikyafront, a political alliance.

They were connected in a talk show on Ekattor TV, on October 16, 2018.

Protests erupted in response to Mainul's remarks about Masuda. At least 22 cases were filed against Mainul across the country. He later secured bail in all the cases.

END/SZA