A Jamalpur court has issued an arrest warrant against former state minister Dr Murad Hasan over a defamation case worth Tk10,000 crore, filed for making derogatory remarks against the Zia family, including former prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, and his daughter Zaima Rahman.
Senior Judicial Magistrate Romana Akter of Sarishabari Magistrate Court issued the arrest warrant against Murad and another accused on Monday.
According to case sources, while serving as state minister for information, Murad made obscene and vulgar remarks about Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, and Zaima Rahman on a talk show aired on a YouTube channel and a Facebook page. With alleged malicious intent, these false and offensive statements were said to have caused damages exceeding Tk10,000 crore to the Zia family and harmed the country’s image.
The case was filed by Lion Md Rumel Sarkar, vice president of the Jamalpur District Truck and Tank Lorry Owners Association and former Chhatra Dal leader.
Alongside Murad, Mahi Uddin Helal Nahid, son of ATM Abul Kashem of Patia municipality in Chittagong, has also been named as an accused, with arrest warrants issued against both.
Advocate Md Moniruzzaman, the plaintiff’s lawyer, said on May 24, Senior Judicial Magistrate Roksana Parvin of Sarishabari Magistrate Court had taken up the defamation case and issued summons against Murad and Mahi Uddin Helal. As neither appeared in court, showing disregard for the law, the court has now issued arrest warrants against them.