Fakhrul among 4 other accused in the case filed by leader of pro-AL body
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, Hefajat chief Junayed Babunagari are among the six BNP and Islamist leaders who were accused in a defamation case for speaking against Bangabandhu’s sculpture.
The other accused are BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, its Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Hefajat-e-Islam Joint Secretary General Mamunul Haque, and Islami Andolan Bangladesh Senior Nayeb-e-Amir Syed Muhammad Faizul Karim.
The case was filed by AB Siddique, president of pro-Awami League organisation Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Satyabrata Sikder.
Khaleda has been staying at her residence in Gulshan-2 since March 25, when she was released from prison after 776 days, on the condition that she would not leave home.
Fakhrul said the filing of such a false and baseless case against the BNP leadership was proof that Awami League had been bankrupt.
The magistrate heard the case and took it into cognisance. The court will pass an order in the case today, sources said.
Mamunul, also the secretary general of Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish, and Faizul made the defamatory remarks on November 13, and Hefajat Amir Babunagari on November 27, the case statement said.
The complainant did not mention any charges against Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman and Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir even though they were accused in the case.
HEFAJAT STATEMENT
Meanwhile, Hefajat said that it has no intention of making enemies of the government, but reiterated its call for not constructing a sculpture of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at the capital’s Dholaipar.
“Islamophobic groups” are persuading the government to engage in clashes with Islamic scholars or Alems, the Qawmi madrasa-based organisation said in a statement issued Tuesday.
Hefajat again urged the government to find a way in the light of Islam for the salvation and peace of the departed soul of Bangabandhu.
Hefajat Secretary General Nur Hossain Kasemi in the statement called upon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the authorities concerned not to allow any conspiring groups to destroy the peace and stability in the country.
The Hefajat secretary general said the religious freedom of the citizens has been guaranteed in the constitution of Bangladesh.
Therefore, it is the constitutional right and religious duty of the Alem community to give a correct explanation of religion and to call for the avoidance of misguidance, he said.
No individual, organisation or the government has the legitimacy to interfere in the performance of this duty by the Alems, he added.
Liberation War Minister AKM Mozammel Haque yesterday said there are sculptures in all the major Muslim countries of the world.
The minister said no one ever talked about the sculptures in bangladesh. But suddenly, the anti-Liberation War elements are showing the audacity to speak against the sculpture of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
“The heroic freedom fighters will not tolerate such an audacity. At the call of Bangabandhu, the heroic freedom fighters surrendered their weapons, but did not surrender their training,” he vowed.
The minister was speaking at a discussion held on the occasion of Kapilmuni Mukto Dibos in Khulna.
