Case against UNO Salman withdrawn

Suspended Barisal Awami League leader Obaidullah Sazu has withdrawn the case he filed against Barguna Sadar UNO Tariq Salman.

Sazu appeared before Barisal Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court yesterday for withdrawal of the case.

The suspended religious affairs secretary of Barisal AL and president of the district bar association sought Tk 5 crore in the defamation case he filed last month against Upazila Nirbahi Officer Tariq.

"I withdrew the case for the interest of our country and the party," he told reporters.

The Awami League had suspended Sazu over the filing of the case.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina reportedly criticised the filing of the case against the UNO and his subsequent arrest.

Many on social media had praised the UNO's idea of placing a fifth-grader's drawing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the invitation card.

In another development, Barisal Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Mohammad Ali Hossain yesterday informed the Supreme Court administration that he did not refuse Tariq bail on Wednesday.

He said his court was a bit late in granting the bail as Tariq had to wait for documents needed for his bail.

Ali told these to SC administration over the phone after the administration asked him to provide details of the incident, Sabbir Faiz, additional registrar of the SC's High Court Division, told The Daily Star.

Ali will send the case records to the SC administration today, Sabbir added.

On Saturday, six policemen of a Barisal court were closed to police lines in connection with negligence of duty over the arrest of Tariq on Wednesday.

Barisal Metropolitan Police (BMP) made the move following severe criticism that followed the arrest.

A probe committee led by an additional deputy inspector general of police has been investigating the incident, BMP Commissioner SM Ruhul Amin said.

"Negligence will be punished," he told reporters.

Tariq was sued for publishing a portrait of Bangabandhu, drawn by a child, on an invitation card.