Fifteen eminent citizens of the country yesterday demanded that Barrister Mainul Hosein publicly apologise for hurling abuses at journalist Masuda Bhatti and calling her “characterless” on a television talk show last Tuesday night.

In a statement, they condemned the remarks of Mainul, former adviser to the previous caretaker government and publisher of English daily The New Nation, and said no one has the right to label anyone “characterless” in response to a justified journalistic question.

“We are aggrieved by his condemnable behaviour,” reads the statement sent by eminent theatre personality Nasiruddin Yousuf.

The statement said a public apology from Mainul is necessary not just because he behaved deplorably with Masuda Bhatti but also for making sure that no one attacks someone personally in such a way in future.

Other signatories are: National Professor Anisuzzaman, litterateur Hasan Azizul Haque, educationist Anupam Sen, cultural personality Ramendu Majumdar, noted actress Ferdousi Majumdar, veteran thespian Mamunur Rashid, trustees of Liberation War Museum Aly Zaker, Sara Zaker and Tariq Ali, cultural personality Shimul Yousuf, poet Muhammad Samad, Hasan Arif, cultural personality Golam Kuddus and Ataur Aman.