Staff Reporter :
The High Court (HC) on Sunday granted anticipatory bail for six months to Barrister Mainul Hosein, former Advisor to the Caretaker Government, in 13 more defamation cases filed in different parts of the country.
The HC also stayed for the six months the trial proceedings of 15 defamation cases, including the 13 cases in which he got bail, filed against him.
The court, however, issued a rule asking the concerned bodies of the government as to why they should not be directed to scrap the trial proceedings of the 15 cases against Barrister Mainul Hosein. The respondents have to comply with the rule within four weeks.
The HC Bench of Justice Md Rezaul Haque and Justice Zafar Ahmed passed the order after hearing 15 petitions filed by Barrister Mainul seeking bail and stay in the cases.
Senior Advocate Khandker Mahbub Hossain appeared in the court on behalf of Barrister Mainul Hosein. Advocate Bipul Bagmer, Advocate Abdur Rahim, Advocate Monjur Kader and Advocate Masud Rana were present in the court during the hearing. Deputy Attorney General Khurshidul Alam stood for the State.
After the court’s order, Advocate Masud Rana said, Barrister Mainul got bail for six months in the cases and the court stayed the trial proceedings of the cases for the same tenure.
“If the government does not make any obstacle, now there is no legal bar for Barrister Mainul to get release from jail,” Masud Rana also said.
The lawyer said, “Total 22 cases were filed against Barrister Mainul Hosein. Among those he already got bail in 19 cases till now. There is no arrest warrant against him in rest 3 cases. So, he can get release now.”
Of the 15 cases, one case was filed in Brahmanbaria, one in Rajbari, two in Jhenaidah, one in Netrakona, one in Rajshahi, one in Jashore, one in Chattogram, one in Narail, one in Magura, one in Cox’s Bazar, one in Kurigram, one in Sherpur, one in Bhola and one in Mymensingh.
A team of Detective Branch (DB) of Police on October 22 arrested Barrister Mainul Hosein from Dhaka in a case filed in Rangpur Court on charge of defaming a woman journalist, Masuda Bhatti, on a television talk-show.
Later a total of 22 defamation cases were filed against Mainul Hosein with different police stations in the country.
