A Dhaka court Monday sent BNP standing committee member MK Anwar to jail after he surrendered to a court in relation to a defamation case about comments he made against Debashish Biswas, president of Swechchhasebak League of Dhaka city (south) committee.
Metropolitan Magistrate Harun-ur-Rashid rejected Anwar’s bail plea and sent him to jail through a Court Warrant (CW).
Defence lawyers Advocate Sanaullah Miah, and Masud Ahmed Talukder mentioned in their clients’ bail plea, ‘‘that as a member of the parliament, his bail may be allowed and extended.” They also mentioned that according to the East Pakistan Parliament Members Assemble act-1965 allowed that any court could not ask any parliament member to attend the court proceedings during the period of parliament session, before and after one week of any parliament session.”
As a member of parliament Anwar is entitled to bail because the next session of parliament starts on June 3.
The defence lawyers said a petitioner does not have the right to file a case in section of 505(a) of penal code. Only the government can file a case against someone. As the petitioner did not have any permission from concerned authorities, he is not entitled to file the case.
In the bail petition, the defence also said, Anwar was granted a two-week anticipatory bail from the HC on May 13 in connection to the case.
The HC directed him to surrender before the court on expiry of the bail period, which was on May 26. They said their client was showing his respect for the HC order, and surrendered before the court to seek bail.
The prosecution lawyers opposed MK Anwar’s bail petition saying he made his comments about Debashish even though he knew activists of Hefazat-e-Islam and other political parties were engaged in the unrest.
Debashish Biswas, president of Swechchhasebak League of Dhaka city (south) committee, filed a case on May 7 with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court, accusing MK Anwar of making false and derogatory statements at a press conference following the widespread violence, which occurred in the capital on May 5, the day of Hefazat-e-Islam’s Dhaka siege.
In his complaint, Debashish mentioned that Anwar at a press conference on Monday said he (Debashish) burnt the Holy Quran near Baitul Mukarram Mosque during Hefazat’s violence on May 5.