Masuda Bhatti take legal action against Barrister Mainul

Journalist-columnist Masuda Bhatti has filed a defamation case against former adviser to a caretaker government Barrister Mainul Hosein for hurling abusive words at her.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Noor passed the order after taking the charges brought against him into cognisance.

Meanwhile, a Jamalpur court also issued arrest warrant against Mainul in a Tk 20,000-crore defamation case filed by a Jubo Mohila League leader.

Convener of Jamalpur Jubo Mohila League Farzana Yasmin Lita filed the case with the local cognizance court today, our Jamalpur correspondent reports quoting court sources.

Senior Judicial Magistrate Soleiman Kabir took the case into cognisance, the correspondent adds.

On Tuesday night, Barrister Mainul Hosein, former adviser to a caretaker government, hurled abusive words at journalist Masuda Bhatti and termed her “characterless” at the talk show -- Ekattor Journal -- hosted by Mithila Farzana on Ekattor TV.

Masuda Bhatti, acting editor of Dainik Amader Notun Somoy, and Sakhawat Hossain Shayanta were present at the talk show.

The talk show

Mainul was connected to the talk show programme via video-conference.

During the discussion, Masuda referred to a video [which went viral on social media] that showed Mainul Hosein had addressed a programme of Islami Chhatra Shibir, expressing solidarity with the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

She posed a question during the show: “As a result, many are commenting that you are in the alliance [Jatiya Oikya Front] as a representative of Jamaat-e-Islami… is it true?”

“Giving no response, he made a verbal attack and tried to tarnish my image and dignity. He instructed me to pose questions like that of an 'educated and gentle woman',” she said later in a statement.

She said Mainul Hosein also shouted and raised his fingers in efforts to stop her.

Mithila Farzana warned him that he should not hurl such verbal abuse at a guest during the show.