A Rangpur court granted bail to The Daily Star Editor and Publisher Mahfuz Anam, who has been facing dozens of cases for publishing ‘confusing’ and ‘defamatory’ reports in his newspaper about Sheikh Hasina during the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker regime, in a defamation case yesterday. Senior Judicial Magistrate Shafiul Alam granted him bail on a bond of Tk 1,000 as he appeared before the court in person seeking bail in the case.
The court also fixed May 26 for next hearing in the case, reports UNB.
Earlier on February 16, local Awami League leader Motahar Hossain Mondol Mowla filed the Tk 1-crore defamation case with the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Shafiul Alam against Anam for publishing the reports.
Taking cognisance of the complaint, the court summoned Mahfuz Anam to appear before it on March 1. Mahfuz Anam published reports against Awami League President Sheikh Hasina based on information provided by DGFI without any scrutiny in 2007.