Court grants Imran H Sarker bail in case over ‘slander’ of prime minister

Ganajagaran Mancha spokesperson Imran H Sarker and activist Sanatan Ullash have received bail in a defamation case over ‘derogatory comments’ concerning Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The allegation stemmed from slogans chanted against Hasina during a protest against the removal of the Lady Justice statue from the Supreme Court premises on May 25.

Sarker and Ullash turned themselves in to the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate’s court on Sunday and requested bail. The petition was granted and bail set at Tk 5,000.

According to a report from bdnews24.com's Court Correspondent, Sarker's car was attacked with rotten eggs as he left the court premises.

Golam Rabbani, secretary of education and readers’ circle of Chhatra League, started the case against Imran and Ganajagaran Mancha activist Sanatan Ullash.

On May 31 Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate SM Masud Zaman ordered the two to appear before court, said the plaintiff’s lawyer Noman Hossain Talukder.

The derogatory comments on the prime minister have offended Rabbani who believes in the ideology of Awami League and its founder Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, he said.

Chhatra League’s Rabbani had earlier threatened to ‘beat Imran like a dog’ following the protest rally.

In response, Imran put up a Facebook post on Tuesday claiming that he made no ill remarks against the premier.

“They are trying to describe criticism as derogatory remarks,” he wrote.

Imran, son-in-law of Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, further wrote: “Ganajagaran Mancha has never used any vulgar language against any political leader.”

He strongly rebuffed the allegation terming it “ridiculous and fabricated” and added that there was no question of insulting the prime minister.