A legal notice has been served on Amar Bangladesh Party (AB Party) Secretary General Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad, demanding that he pay Tk100 crore in compensation and issue an unconditional public apology for his remarks alleging that all fascists, touts and criminals in Bangladesh had been produced by the University of Dhaka.
The notice was also sent to the secretaries of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the vice-chancellor of the University of Dhaka (DU).
Former DU Law Department student and Supreme Court lawyer Tanay Kumar Saha on Saturday confirmed that the notice had been served.
The notice demands that Tk100 crore be deposited into the University of Dhaka Research Fund as compensation for allegedly damaging the university's historic reputation and prestige.
According to the notice, Fuaad made "highly offensive, defamatory and malicious" remarks against DU graduates and faculty members during a discussion titled "The Awakening of Bengali Muslims and the University of Dhaka", held at the Ducsu office on Wednesday.
It alleges that the remarks have seriously tarnished the university's image, reputation and standing both nationally and internationally, while causing deep mental distress and public outrage among millions of alumni, current students and members of the public.
The notice calls for the following actions within 72 hours of its receipt:
- Appropriate legal and administrative action against Barrister Asaduzzaman Fuaad for making allegedly defamatory and hateful remarks against DU.
- An unconditional withdrawal of his July 1 statement and a public apology to the University of Dhaka through electronic, print and social media.
- Payment of Tk100 crore as exemplary and punitive compensation, to be deposited directly into the University of Dhaka Research Fund for academic development and national advancement.
The notice further states that if the demands are not met, or if no visible action is taken within the stipulated 72 hours, a public interest writ petition will be filed before the High Court.