A Dhaka court yesterday issued an arrest warrant against recently force-retired information secretary ATM Fazlul Karim alias Abu Karim in a defamation case filed for writing a verse criticising Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family mem bers.

After scrutinising the documents submitted by the com-plainant of the case, Metropolitan Magistrate Kanika Bishwas took the charges against the accused into cognisance and passed the arrest warrant and fixed May 14 for next hearing of the case.

On February 22, Hazrat Moulana Mohammad Elias Hossain Bin Helali, president of Bangladesh Awami Olama League Central Committee, filed the case against Abu Karim with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka for committing the offence.

After the hearing, the same magistrate recorded statement of the complainant and fixed yesterday for order on the issue subject to submission of a copy of the book.

In his complaint, Helali mentioned that the accused had written a verse titled

Baganey Phutey Achhey Anek Golap’ in February 2006 and the Suchipatra Prokashana published the book in Ekushey Book Fair in 2008.

The Daily Amader Samoy published an excerpt from the book on February 20 this year and the complainant learnt it from the daily. The daily quoted different important points from the verse that defamed, undermined and criticised Bangabandhu and his family members.

In the book, the writer called Bangabandhu Latifur Rahman and also called him Alubokhra, Sheikh Kamal Kamalakoli, Sheikh Jamal Jamtoli and Sheikh Russel Roskoli, the complainant said.

Such defamatory writings have damaged and under-mi e nd t Jvpi-»hm agf o^ Bangabandhu's living family members— Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana - and his party Bangladesh Awami League (AL) and its front organisations.

It also damaged the image of all leaders and activists of Bangladesh Awami Olama League.

The accused defamed the independence achieved through the sacrifices of two lakh mothers and sisters and 30 lakh martyrs. Such heinous offences and activities are subversive to the state as well as to the disciplines, the complainant added.

TWO MORE CASES

The same court fixed March 16 for order on two sedition cases filed against the same accused for writing a satirical verse on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family members and publishing malicious remarks subversive to the state.

Advocate Omar Faruque filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court, Dhaka accusing Abu Karim and Sayeed Bari, proprietor of the Suchipatra Prorkashana while AL leader CS Alam filed another case with the same court accusing only Abu Karim.