A Gazipur court has granted bail to The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam in a defamation case filed for carrying “confusing” and “defamatory” reports in his daily about Awami League President Sheikh Hasina during the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker regime.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Iqbal Masud granted the bail upon a bond of Tk10,000 on Monday morning, Mahfuz's counsel Md Sultan Uddin Ahmed said.
Earlier in the day, Mahfuz Anam appeared before the court and filed the bail petition.
Education Affairs Secretary of district Awami League Amanat Hossain Khan filed the Tk5 crore defamation suit on February 17.
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.
At least 79 cases have so far been filed on charges of defamation and sedition against Mahfuz Anam for running “false corruption stories” against Sheikh Hasina.
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