The High Court has announced the verdict in a compensation case ordering a payment of Tk4.62 crore to the family of eminent filmmaker Tareque Masud, killed in a road accident in 2011.
A High Court bench of Justice Zinat Ara and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo finished delivering the verdict on Sunday, having started on Thursday.
In the verdict the court ordered that the money be paid to the family within three months of the full text of the judgment being released.
Filmmaker Tareque and ATN News Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mushik Munier along with three others were killed when a Chuadanga-bound bus hit their car on the Dhaka-Aricha Highway on August 13, 2011.
According to the verdict, the driver of the bus Jamir Hossain will have to pay Tk30 lakh, insurance company Reliance Insurance Tk80,000 and three owners of the bus - Kashed Miah, Khokon Miah and Jahnagir Kabir Tunin will have to pay Tk4,30,95,452 to the family.
Barrister Sara Hossain, counselor of Tareque Masud's family, told reporters that the family members had sought compensation on a number of grounds.
In the case they argued that Tareque was the main bread earner of the family. Since his death their income has shrunk. The family has lost the love, affection, protection, nursing and care of Tareque. His wife Catherine Masud also suffered from injuries and their vehicle was damaged.
Compensation was also sought for future advancement, medical expenses of the injured and funeral expenses.
They were on the way to Dhaka from Manikganj after visiting a shooting spot for a film. The three other victims who died were Tareque’s production crew members Wasim and Jamal, and the microbus driver Mostafizur Rahman.
Catherine, painter Dhali Al-Mamun and his wife Dilara Begum Jolly, and Tareque's production assistant Saidul Islam sustained injuries in the incident.
A Manikganj court in February this year sentenced the bus driver Jamir Hossain to life-time imprisonment in a case filed over the deaths. It also fined him Tk5,000 on the charge of culpable homicide, and ordered two years’ imprisonment and Tk2,000 fine for causing damage.
Later, the family members of Tareque and Mishuk filed two separate cases in 2013 with district and Motor Accident Claim Tribunal in Manikganj, seeking compensation.
Following separate petitions from Tareque and Mishuk's family members the cases were transferred to the High court for hearing. The HC delivered verdict in the Tareque's case and trial in the other case is in progress.
“Matir-Moina” (The Clay Bird, 2002), a critically acclaimed film, made Tareque Masud one of the foremost independent film directors in Bangladesh. The film won an award at the Cannes and became Bangladesh’s first film to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
He also earned repute by making other films like “Muktir Gaan” (The Song of Freedom, 1995) and “Muktir Kotha” (The Story of Freedom), 1996. He also made “Ontarjatra” (The Homeland), 2006 and “Runway,” 2010.
Mishuk Munier was a media specialist and broadcast journalist. He served as the chief executive officer and chief editor of satellite TV channel ATN News. He also worked for BBC as a freelance photographer.
As the director of news operations of the first satellite TV channel Ekushey Television, Munier played a key role in developing broadcast journalism in Bangladesh. He also taught mass communication and journalism at Dhaka University.
Sunday, March 23, 2025
