The Daily Star Editor Mahfuz Anam should resign from the English daily for "admitting to the fact that he ran false corruption stories against Sheikh Hasina based on information provided by the DGFI," said Health Minister Mohammed Nasim.
The minister, also the spokesperson for the Awami League-led 14-party alliance, made the demand while addressing a joint meeting of Jubo League at the party's central office on Bangabandhu Avenue on Friday.
He said: “Mahfuz Anam had aimed at removing Hasina from politics and bring anti-democratic forces to power to implement the prescription of the then DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence).
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“He has already lost his credibility by publishing those fake stories and now he should quit the newspaper as the readers have lost their faith in him. Moreover, there is no guarantee that he would not run such types of news in the future to mislead the nation.”
Several defamation cases have been filed in different districts against Mahfuz Anam since February 3 after on a TV talk show he admitted that he had made “a big mistake” by running the stories based on information provided by the DGFI during the 2007-2008 military-backed caretaker government.
"I admit it. It was a big mistake as an editor, in my journalism career,” Anam said on the talk show.
Following the statement, Prime Minister's ICT Adviser Sajeeb Wazed Joy and a number of lawmakers demanded legal action on the editor of the English daily.
On Thursday, Mostafizur Rahman Dulal, an assistant public prosecutor of the Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court, filed a sedition complaint with the Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court under sections 123 (A), 124 (A) and 500 of the Penal Code.
Magistrate Snigdha Rani Chakrabarty directed the officer-in-charge of Kotwali police to assign an inspector-level official to conduct an inquiry into the allegation.
The court also said that it requires the government’s prior permission to take the charges into cognisance.
On receiving the permission from the Home Ministry, the police officer will conduct the inquiry and take necessary legal steps. The report will have to be submitted by March 28, the court said.
