Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Sunday issued a rule asking the government to explain within seven days as to why it should not be directed to admit Barrister Mainul Hosein to an appropriate hospital in Dhaka for better treatment.
The HC Bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir passed the order yesterday after hearing a writ petition filed by Barrister Mainul’s wife Saju Hosein.
Home Secretary, Inspector General of Police, Inspector General of Prison, Deputy Inspector General of Prison, Rangpur Range, Civil Surgeons of Dhaka and Rangpur and other respondents have to comply with the rule.
Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioner, while Deputy Attorney General Kazi Jinat Huq stood for the State. Advocate Bipul Bagmar, Advocate Abdur Rahim, Advocate Tajul Islam, Advocate M Masud Rana, Advocate A K Khan Uzzal and Advocate Monjur Kadir were also present in the court on behalf of the petitioner.
Saju Hosein filed two petitions on November 7, 2018 with the High Court.
In one petition, she sought order to admit Barrister Mainul to a specialised hospital in Dhaka, saying he is suffering from heart, diabetes, kidney and some other ailments.
In another petition, Saju Hosein challenged the government’s failure and inaction to prevent the recent attack on Barrister Mainul at Rangpur Court compound.
On Sunday, the Rangpur Medical College Hospital authorities placed a report in the HC Bench through the Attorney General’s office, saying that Mainul is physically sound.
On November 8, the HC had asked Rangpur Medical College Hospital to conduct the Medical check-up of Barrister Mainul Hosein and submit the report by Sunday.
The HC also asked the authorities to provide adequate security to Barrister Mainul if he is transferred to another jail from Rangpur, where he is being held.
In response to the petition, which was filed challenging the government’s failure and inaction to prevent the recent attack on Barrister Mainul at Rangpur Court compound, the HC said that they will hear the petition on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the High Court Bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman adjourned the hearing on the two petitions filed seeking quashment of the cases filed against Barrister Mainul Hosein in Rangpur Court and Jamalpur Court as the concerned Deputy Attorney General informed the court that the Attorney General will take part in the hearing but he was unable on Sunday as he is sick.
A team of Detective Branch (DB) of Police on October 22 arrested former Adviser to the Caretaker Government Barrister Mainul Hosein from Dhaka in a defamation case filed in Rangpur Court. But some other cases were also sued against him before and after his arrest.
Now Barrister Mainul is in Rangpur jail. He was lodged in the jail on November 3.
A Rangpur Court on November 4 rejected a bail petition filed by Barrister Mainul Hosein in a defamation case. But he was attacked in the courtyard by some rowdy party activists as he was being brought into the court on the day.
On October 16, Mainul Hosein was connected to a talk show programme, ‘Ekattorer Journal’, through a video conference aired on a private TV channel, Ekattor TV, hosted by Mithila Farzana, and made an ‘offensive comments’ against Masuda Bhatti.
During the talk show, Masuda Bhatti told Mainul Hosein, “You say that you are with the Jatiya Oikyafront as a citizen of the country, but in social networking sites, many people are saying that you are there as a representative of Jamaat-e-Islami.”
Angered by the comment, Mainul Hosein said, “I’m thanking you for your audacity and I want to believe you as ‘characterless’. There’s no question about Jamaat’s link with me and what question you have asked is embarrassing for me.”
After such comments, there was a storm of criticism in the social media.
At least 21 cases have been filed so far in different parts of the country against Barrister Mainul Hosein on the charge of using indecent language against journalist Masuda Bhatti on a live Television Talk Show.
Charge-sheet
Meanwhile, the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Dhaka Devdas Chandra Adhikary on Sunday accepted charge-sheet against Barrister Mainul Hosein in a case filed under Digital Security Act and sent it to the Cyber Tribunal.
Earlier, on Thursday, the Investigation Officer and Police Inspector Aminul Islam of the Gulshan Police Station deposited the charge-sheet in the G.R. Branch of the court.
