Two more defamation cases have been filed against The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam for carrying “confusing” and “defamatory” reports in his daily about Awami League President Sheikh Hasina during the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker regime.
Advocate Rafikul Islam Khokon alias Mama Khokon and Advocate Kaiyum Khan Kaisar, both assistant public prosecutors and district and city leaders of Jubo League, filed the cases with two separate courts in Barisal on Tuesday morning.
The complainants demanded Tk100 crore for defamation in each lawsuit.
With these two, a total of 29 defamation cases and eight sedition charges have so far been filed against Mahfuz Anam for running "false corruption stories" against Sheikh Hasina.
Advocate Rafik lodged the case with the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ali Hossain.
After recording statement of the petitioner, the CMM court summoned the accused to appear before the court on March 20, 2015.
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Advocate Kaiyum lodged the case with the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Rafikul Islam and the magistrate summoned the accused to appear before it on March 29.
Talking to reporters, Advocate Rafikul and Kaiyum Khan said that they lodged the cases claiming the compensation because the DGFI-fed reports tarnished the image of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Mahfuz Anam on a TV talk show on February 3 admitted that he made a "big mistake" by running "corruption" stories based on information provided by the DGFI during the 2007-2008 caretaker regime.
"I admit it. It was a big mistake as an editor, in my journalism career,” Anam said on the talk show.