HC moved to arrest Hasnat Abdul Hye

A Dhaka University teacher has moved the High Court to order arrest of writer Hasnat Abdul Hye for ‘instigating hate’ through his story on women who are playing a significant role in the Shahbagh protest.

Prof M Wahiduzzaman of the Institute of Education and Research, move the petition on Sunday.

He told bdnews24.com: “The writ (petition) will be heard at the bench of Justices Dr. Quazi Reza-Ul Hoque and ABM Altaf Hossain on Monday.”

His complaints read that Hye’s short story, carried in the Daily Prothom Alo’s Bangla New Year special supplement on Apr 14, titled “TV Camerar Samne Meyeti” (The girl in front of the TV camera) ‘was aimed at instigating riot, turmoil and hatred’.
This story could make the women and students of the university, who are involved with the movement at Shahbagh, uncomfortable, he said.

Wahiduzzaman asked why arrest order for Hye should not be given for this in line with Section 3 of the Special Power Act, 1974.

হাসনাত আবদুল হাই

The story written by Hasnat Abdul Hye, winner of Bangla Academy Award and Ekushey Padak, had triggered widespread public outrage, which many felt was offensive and demeaning to women political activists, Shahbagh protests and all progressive movements.

After a flurry of protests by the readers, who vented mostly in the social media as well as at Shahbagh – the city square hosting a campaign against war criminals and religious fanatics since Feb 5 – Prothom Alo retracted the story from its online version and e-paper.

Hauled up for gender insensitivity, the daily also apologised to its readers for hurting their sentiments.

Hye has also regretted writing the story and said it would not be included in any of his books.