Why Mainul should not be transferred to Dhaka
HC issues rule asking govt to explain
STAFF REPORTER, Dhaka
The High Court (HC) yesterday issued a rule asking the government to explain why it should not be directed to transfer barrister Mainul Hosein to Dhaka from Rangpur so that he could be admitted to a specialised hospital for better treatment. The HC bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir issued the rule after hearing a writ petition filed by Mainuls wife, Saju Hossein. The home secretary, inspector general of police and Rangpur jail authorities have been made respondents to reply to the rule within a week.
On November 2, Saju Hosein submitted two petitions to the HC. In one of the petitions, she sought an HC order to admit Mainul to a specialised hospital in Dhaka, saying he is suffering from heart, diabetes and kidney ailments. In the other, she challenged the governments failure and inaction to provide adequate security to Mainul.
Khandaker Mahbub Hossain and Abdur Rahim stood for Mainul, while deputy attorney general Kazi Zinat Haq represented the state.
Earlier, on November 8, the same HC bench had asked Rangpur jail authorities and Rangpur Medical College and Hospital authorities to conduct medical tests of Mainul Hosein and submit the report to the court within three days. It had also asked the authorities to provide adequate security to Mainul if he was to be transferred to another jail from Rangpur jail.
As per the HC directive, Rangpur Medical College Hospital authorities placed a report before the HC bench yesterday through the attorney generals office, saying that Mainul is physically sound.
On October 16, Mainul made offensive comments against Mithila Farzana, the host of the talk show Ekattorer Journal, on Ekattor TV. On October 22, Arifa Yasmin Mukta, judge of the additional chief judicial magistrates court in Rangpur, issued a warrant for Mainuls arrest after a local human rights activist, Mili Maya, filed a defamation case with it. Dhaka chief metropolitan magistrate Kaisarul Islam sent Mainul to jail in the case on October 23.
Mainul Hosein was assaulted allegedly by some leaders and activists of the Awami League while he was being produced before the Rangpur chief judicial magistrates court on November 4.
