The secretary of the Sirajganj district unit of the Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami, Muhammad Zahidul Islam, on Tuesday filed a defamation case against Jahangirnagar University鈥檚 geography and environment department assistant professor Nahrin Islam Khan for making derogatory comments on him.
Zahidul, also a party nomination seeker for Sirajganj-2 constituency in the next general election, filed the case with a court in the district for Nahrin鈥檚 remarks made during a talk show aired by a private television channel on October 25.
The court took the complaint into cognizance and ordered an investigation, the plaintiff鈥檚 lawyer, Abu Taleb Akand, said.
The Jamaat leader alleged that Nahrin, in the talk show, made 鈥榝alse, fabricated, and indecent remarks鈥� about Zahidul, referring to the plaintiff鈥檚 earlier interview with BBC Bangla.
He alleged that, during the talk show, Nahrin said, 鈥楯amaat-e-Islami鈥檚 Sirajganj district secretary told BBC Bangla in an interview that if Awami League leaders flee, Jamaat will have rights over their wives.鈥�
Zahidul alleged that these remarks were completely false and baseless and tarnished his personal reputation and social standing severely.
A video clip of her statement later went viral on social media, sparking widespread criticism.
Zahidul Islam claimed, 鈥業 never made such comments. In my interview published by BBC News Bangla on October 11, I only said that some Awami League supporters might refrain from voting, but most people would likely vote for Jamaat to ensure their safety. I never uttered any statement regarding women or so-called 鈥渞ights over their wives鈥�.鈥�
Nahrin, however, rejected Zahidul鈥檚 allegation, saying that her statement was based on a quote of the Jamaat leader that went viral and remained on social media for two weeks before the issue was raised by her.
She said that the quote was not objected by anyone in weeks though it was circulated on Facebook for weeks. 鈥楾he Facebook post is no longer available online.鈥�
鈥榃hen a piece of information is published by the media, it鈥檚 not the reader鈥檚 or the government鈥檚 job to verify its authenticity. It is the responsibility of the platform itself,鈥� she claimed.
鈥業f anyone wants to file a case, it should be against the platform where the content was first spread,鈥� she said.
She believed that the case was 鈥榓 pre-planned action鈥� against her due to her prior involvement in the Jahangirnagar University Central Students鈥� Union elections, where she boycotted the polls alleging irregularities.
