Prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s information and communication technology adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy on Friday said the lawsuits against Mahfuz Anam were not an attack on media.
“This is not an attack on the media. It is also not even criminal litigation. It is civil litigation. This is what happens in all countries with a modern legal system. If you cause someone harm, the aggrieved party has every right to sue you for damages,” said the prime minister’s son Joy in his Facebook status.
The prime minister’s ICT adviser also said, “The government did not file a single case against him [Mahfuz Anam].”
“The cases are all civil in nature, claiming damages and monetary compensation,” he added.
He further said, “If Mahfuz Anam is feeling harassed, perhaps he should find out what spending 11 months in jail on false charges feels like.”
Joy in his status also said, “Several of our “civil society” and newspaper editors are criticizing the civil defamation lawsuits filed against Mahfuz Anam following his admission of running a false smear campaign against my mother. Our Government has not filed a single case against him. The cases are all civil in nature, claiming damages and monetary compensation.
“So I would like to ask, is the media immune from any liability whatsoever? Mahfuz Anam admitted to running not just one, but a series of false stories against my mother, the daughter of Bangabandhu Father of the Nation and at the time a former prime minister. As a consequence of his actions my mother, at her age, had to spend 11 months in prison. After all that, he says, “Oops, my mistake!” And we should all forget about it and move on? There should be no justice for my mother, my family and our party the Awami League? There should be no accountability?
Politicians have to abide by the law or go to jail, police have to abide by the law or go to jail, but there is no law against writing false stories. The only recourse that politicians and famous personalities have is civil law by claiming damages. If nothing else, at least the pain of legal fees and time in court should make a journalist think twice before publishing something false and destroying a person’s good name. Yet, this group does not want to be held accountable even to this low bar. Instead they want to throw mud and call it an attack on the media.”
Source: Prothom Alo
“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.”
– Pastor Martin Niemöller (1892–1984)