Court orders arrest of ex-justice Manik, Menon over ‘derogatory’ comments on Ziaur Rahman
The order was issued this afternoon by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque following a petition by the plaintiff.
A Dhaka court has ordered showing former Supreme Court justice AHM Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik and Workers Party President Rashed Khan Menon arrested in a defamation case over derogatory remarks about BNP founder and former president Ziaur Rahman.
The order was issued this afternoon (21 January) by Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Sarah Farzana Haque following a petition by the plaintiff.
State prosecutor Shamshuddoha Sumon represented the prosecution during the hearing, arguing in favour of showing the accused arrested in the case.
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During the hearing, the prosecutor said former justice Manik, while appearing on Channel i talk show Metrosem to the Point, referred to Ziaur Rahman as a "Rajakar" and a war criminal, thereby compromising judicial neutrality.
He said that Rashed Khan Menon had repeatedly made negative and derogatory remarks about Ziaur Rahman, then BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party's current Chairman Tarique Rahman in multiple public briefings.
"The accused have consistently made offensive comments against the BNP and its leadership. They must be brought to justice," the prosecutor said, urging the court to show them arrested in the case.
While standing in the dock and listening to the prosecution's statements, both Manik and Menon were seen smiling briefly. After the hearing, they were taken back to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court lock-up under tight security.
The defamation case was filed on 22 August 2024 by lawyer Ziaul Haque with the court of Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Saiful Islam against three individuals. The third accused in the case is Hasanul Haq Inu, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president.
On the day of filing the case, the court recorded the plaintiff's statement and directed the Police Bureau of Investigation (PBI) to conduct an inquiry and submit a report.
According to the case documents, Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, on 3 October 2022, described Ziaur Rahman as a Rajakar and war criminal during the Channel i talk show. He also allegedly said at a seminar on 15 February 2021 that Zia was not a freedom fighter but an infiltrator in the Liberation War.
The complaint further states that on 19 July 2013, Inu and Menon made derogatory remarks about Zia at a separate event. It also alleges that the accused have repeatedly made negative comments about the Zia family on various occasions.
