Plea to take case against Khaleda Zia, Junaid Babunagari

A plea has been filed with a Dhaka court on Wednesday to lodge a defamation suit against Bangladesh Nationalist Party chairperson Khaleda Zia and five others on allegation of plotting against setting up sculptures of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddiqui filed the plea with the court of Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate. The court, however, has not given any response in this regard as yet.

Plaintiff AB Siddiqui told Prothom Alo that the court has recorded his deposition and said that the order will be given later.

The other names in the plea include BNP’s senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, Hefazat-e-Islam Amir Junaid Babunagari, Bangladesh Khelafat Majlish leader Mohammad Mamunul Haque and Islami Shasantantra leader Syed Faizul Karim.

AB Siddiqui, in the complaint, claimed that accused Mamunul Haque gave a speech against the sculpture of Bangabandhu in a discussion at BMA Auditorium in Topkhana Road area in the capital on 13 November. Later, on 27 November, Junaid Babunagari also spoke against the sculptures of Bangabandhu at a rally in Hathazari, Chattogram. Earlier, Khaleda Zia threatened to oust the government led by Sheikh Hasina.

It also said the anti-liberation war elements have been degrading the status of the country in the eyes of the world by distorting the history of liberation war, Father of the Nation, country’s map and national flag since the liberation war. Accused Faizul Karim gave an anti-sculpture speech at a rally in front of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. He also threatened to throw the sculpture away into Buriganga river, if it is made.