Dainik Purbokone editor summoned over allegations of libel against Khaleda

A court in Chittagong has summoned Dainik Purbokone Editor Taslim Uddin Chowdhury and Managing Editor Jashim Uddin Chowdhury over libel allegations against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

The Chittagong Metropolitan Magistrate’s court summoned them after a case was filed by local BNP leader Belayet Hossain.

A separate case under the ICT Act was filed by another local BNP leader Iftekhar Mohsin Chowdhury on charges of publishing false news.

“The court took the charges into cognizance and issued summons against them. We are still awaiting instruction in the other case,” said plaintiff Hossain's counsel Abdus Sattar.

On Oct 11, the national daily, published from Chittagong, ran an article, where it said Khaleda Zia's family was the third most corrupt in the world. The article cited two sources, including a report on ‘Fox News Point’.

The newspaper apologised the following day and removed the article from its online version.

“Khaleda Zia is a three-time prime minister, the leader of a major political party and the wife of a former president,” said Sattar. “BNP activists are aggrieved by the false and hatefully motivated news spread about her.”