Mainul arrested for what he said; not for political reason: Law minister

Barrister Mainul Hosein has been arrested following a warrant for what he (Mainul) said to journalist Masuda Bhatti, Law Minister Anisul Huq said today.

The law minister said this after attending a programme of Bangladesh Political Science Association (BPSA) at Dhaka University’s Social Science Faculty in reply to a question by the journalists.

“Mainul Hosein used to say many things against the government even before the formation of Oikyafront, but we never arrested him for that,” the law minister said indicating that the arrest is not the result of Mainul’s political activities.

The “haughty and shameless” statement by Mainul was not insulting to Journalist Masuda Bhatti alone, rather it was insulting to entire women, said Anisul Haque.

Moinul’s arrest

Barrister Mainul Hosein was arrested last night from the Uttara residence of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD-Rab) chief ASM Abdur Rab.

He went to Abdur Rab's house at sector-3 of Uttara around 9:30pm last night. Around 100 policemen, including detectives, cordoned off the house at the same time, claimed Saiful Islam, personal secretary of the JSD (Rab) president. Later, around 50 to 60 DB men entered the house and arrested Mainul.

Mili Maya Begum, wife of Suruj Mia in Rangpur's Mulatol area, filed the case with the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate's Court in the district yesterday afternoon, accusing Mainul of hurling abuse at journalist Masuda Bhatti during a television talk show on October 16 night.

Meanwhile, he was sent to jail after detectives produced him before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court today in the defamation suit .

What happened during the talk show?

On Tuesday night, Mainul called Masuda Bhatti a person of “loose character” at the talk show of Ekattor Journal. He was connected through videoconference.

During the discussion, Masuda referred to a video [which went viral on social media] that showed Mainul Hosein had addressed a programme of Islami Chhatra Shibir, expressing solidarity with the student wing of Jamaat-e-Islami.

She posed a question during the show: “As a result, many are commenting that you are in the alliance [Jatiya Oikya Front] as a representative of Jamaat-e-Islami… is it true?”

“Giving no response, he made a verbal attack and tried to tarnish my image and dignity. He instructed me to pose questions like that of an 'educated and gentle woman',” she said later in a statement.

She said Mainul Hosein also shouted and raised his fingers in efforts to stop her.

Mithila Farzana, the host of the show, warned him that he should not hurl such verbal abuse at a guest during the show.

Who is Mainul?

Barrister Mainul Hosein is a former caretaker government adviser. He was involved in the process of forming Jatiya Oikyafront, an alliance of BNP, Gono Forum, JSD (Rab) and Nagorik Oikya, launched on October 13.

Mainul is also the publisher and is on the editorial board chief of The New Nation newspaper.

Who says what over the arrest?

Ruling Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader today said Mainul was arrested over his personal crime not for his involvement in politics.

Meanwhile, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the arrest is completely illegal.

“Such an arrest in a defamation case is totally unheard of and it is aimed at halting the movement to revive democracy,” the BNP leader said at a press conference at the BNP's Nayapaltan central office today.

“There is no provision of immediately arresting someone in a defamation case. First, the court will issued summon and then record his statement,” Rizvi said.