Legal notice demands apology from Islamic scholar for threatening journos

A Supreme Court lawyer, acting on behalf of a journalist, has sent a legal notice to Islamic preacher and scholar Syed Muhammad Enayetullah Abbasi, demanding he apologise for allegedly threatening to have journalists beaten up.

Legal action would be pursued, if the Islamic preacher fails to withdraw his threatening remarks and issue an unconditional apology within seven days, according to the legal notice sent Sunday.

Supreme Court lawyer Khademul Islam sent the notice on behalf of Azharul Islam Sujon, an executive committee member of the Court Reporters Unity, an organisation of journalists working in subordinate courts.

The notice asked Abbasi to withdraw his remarks and issue an unconditional apology within seven days of receiving it. Otherwise, legal action would be taken under the applicable laws on allegations of defamation, threats of physical assault and incitement through derogatory remarks about journalists and the journalism profession, the notice stated.

According to the notice, Abbasi made the remarks on 19 October at an annual religious sermon and prayer gathering at Nishchintapur Hafizia Madrasa in Matlab upazila of Chandpur district.

During his speech, he allegedly said, “The journalists in Bangladesh are the worst. They should be beaten like dogs.”

He also reportedly said, “A young man, while serving as a state minister, tried to dismantle the chain of a drug syndicate using his team. The journalists did not publish the positive news; instead, they reported that he had run around with a pistol. These journalists are dangerous. They practise yellow journalism. They are funded by foreign intelligence branches. They do not want Bangladesh to prosper.”

The notice further stated that, through these remarks, Abbasi had threatened violence against journalists, both personally and through his followers, creating an intimidating environment for the journalism profession.

It added that his statements were deeply derogatory and defamatory toward journalism and professional journalists, and posed a threat to their safety.

It is worth noting that Ishraque Hossain, ruling party lawmaker from Dhaka-6 constituency, and his security team brandished firearms against alleged drug peddlers during a drive in his area.

Social media videos of the drive raised concerns, with critics saying the use of firearms and attempts to intimidate others, irrespective of criminal records, with firearms, by anyone, except law enforcers, violated the law.

Amid the criticisms, Ishraque resigned as the state minister for Liberation War affairs.