'Friend' threatens to sue bdnews24.com over decade-old court verdict report about HBM Iqbal

bdnews24.com has been served with a legal notice for publishing reports over a period of more than a decade, including one published 12 years ago, on court orders in cases against HBM Iqbal and his family.

A person named Kazi Nasir Uddin Babul issued the notice on behalf of Premier Bank Chairman Iqbal identifying himself as a “friend” of the former MP.

In the notice, sent through Barishal lawyer Autikur Rahman Jewel, Babul asked bdnews24.com to “offer an unconditional apology”, claiming the reports on court proceedings and orders which were also published by other media were “false and baseless”.

He threatened to sue bdnews24.com under the Digital Security Act of 2018 if it does not comply.

Premier Group Chairman Iqbal also heads Premier Hotel Management Company, Bengal Tiger Cement, Premier Technology and Holdings, Aro Bengal Centre, ATAB Cenrye, Bukhara Restaurant, Banani Travels and Tours and Premier Tele Link.

THE NOTICE

The notice says that reports carried by bdnews24.com on Iqbal on Feb 8, 2010 are “totally false, imaginary, fabricated and untrue”.

“My client Dr HBM Iqbal never got involved in corruption or unethical activities, so the information on his involvement in these is totally illogical,” the notice reads.

bdnews24.com shared the “false news” on Facebook and newspapers by using electronic devices. “It tainted the image of my client as hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh and abroad saw the news,” the lawyer said. He added that Iqbal faced an “incalculable loss” because of the news.

The news caused “psychological and social damage” to Iqbal which is “obviously” an offence under the Digital Security Act, he asserted.

“I believe you were influenced illegally by the rivals of my client while presenting the news. For your kind information, my client can state under oath that he has no true charges of corruption against him.”

The notice also claims that reports run by bdnews24.com in 2007, 2008, 2015 and 2017 on an Anti-Corruption Commission case against HBM Iqbal’s wife Mamtaz Begum, daughter Naurin Iqbal, and sons Moin Iqbal and Imran Iqbal are “false”.

It says that the reports were published by different media, but alleged the publication of the “false” information aimed to “defame” Iqbal and his family.

The news on the court orders “discredited” the former MP “socially, politically and financially”, the notice says, adding that publishing defamatory news without evidence is a punishable offence under the law.

“Therefore, you will explain within 15 days from receiving the notice why legal steps will not be taken against you, and offer an unconditional apology to my client for false and baseless [reports] published through bdnews24.com.

“Otherwise, my client will be compelled to take action against you in line with the Digital Security Act of 2018.”

THE REPORTS

Lawyer Jewel also sent copies of two of the reports published in 2010 and 2017.

One of them is titled “AL leaders relieved from 2001 murder case”.

In 2001, four BNP activists were shot dead in a confrontation between processions of the Awami League and BNP during a general strike in Dhaka’s Malibagh.

The court on Aug 26, 2010 acquitted Awami League leaders Iqbal, Nurunnabi Chowdhury Shawon and 12 others in the case.

Dhaka’s No. 1 Speedy Trial Tribunal delivered the verdict following the home ministry’s recommendation to withdraw the case considering it as “politically motivated for harassment”.

bdnews24.com and other media outlets published the news on the verdict.

The other report sent with the notice is titled “Ex-MP Iqbal's wife, three children appeal against conviction in ACC case”.

The court sentenced Iqbal during the military-controlled caretaker government to 13 years in jail on charges of unlawfully gaining wealth. The High Court acquitted him of the charges on Jan 18, 2011.

Iqbal’s wife and three children were jailed for three years and fined Tk 100,000 each by a special judges court of Dhaka in the same case.

They appealed against the verdict in the High Court on Mar 9, 2017. The media, including bdnews24.com, reported the development on that day.

The legal notice does not specify which parts of the reports are “false, imaginary and fabricated”.

The reports were not based on bdnews24.com investigation, but court proceedings and orders in the cases. The sender of the notice has not stated how reports on court orders “defamed” his client “intentionally”.

Besides these, the notice itself states that all the mainstream media of the country published the news. It is not clear how bdnews24.com is accused of publishing reports “on being influenced by rivals” of the lawyer’s client.

WHAT DO THEY SAY?

To find out the answers to these questions, bdnews24.com spoke to lawyer Jewel, who said the sender of the notice, Babul, is a businessman of Barishal. Babul is also the owner and editor of the daily Ajker Barta, according to Jewel.

Babul believes the bdnews24.com reports defamed him as well as Iqbal and Iqbal’s organisations, the lawyer said.

Asked whether he read the reports, Jewel said he had the reports and screenshots.

“They (Iqbal and his family) have been acquitted. That’s why I am working on their behalf,” he said.

When bdnews24.com asked why he brought allegations of defamation over reports on court proceedings, Jewel said, “You will answer these through your lawyer if you have any.”  

bdnews24.com also asked him why he sent the legal notice now over reports of 2007-08. “Criminal cases are not time-bound. But the court will decide whether these cases will be ongoing or not. We can file a case."

Iqbal was acquitted from all the cases by 2019, said the lawyer. “He was proved innocent later. Now he thinks that he will seek redress.”

Jewel said Iqbal may send legal notices to all the media outlets that published the news on the cases. The lawyer is unsure whether legal notices were sent to the others.

bdnews24.com asked him to specify which parts of the reports were “false”, but he said, “We will look into it later after filing the case or the beginning of the court proceedings. I will say these while filing the case, not now.”  

“Since the High Court has acquitted him, the reports are surely false,” he argued.

Reached for comments, Iqbal said he was acquainted with Babul. “Why will they have sympathy for me if they are not my men?” he asked.

“They said they are concerned about (the reports). I told them they can do whatever they think is good,” Iqbal said.

“Now 12 years have passed after 1/11 case. The High Court and Supreme Court have quashed these cases. Then why are you letting the entire world know about the lower court’s [orders],” he added.