Editor's Pick

How old Bengali advertisements sold the dream of fair skin

4 July 2026, 00:00 AM In Focus

Why Bangladesh can’t ignore Myanmar’s diplomatic comeback

5 July 2026, 00:00 AM Geopolitical Insights

America at 250 and Bangladesh’s strategic moment

5 July 2026, 00:00 AM Geopolitical Insights

Is Bangladesh ready for the future of work?

4 July 2026, 00:00 AM Big Picture

The forgotten history of football in Bangladesh

3 July 2026, 00:15 AM In Focus

Defamation Case

Court extends time for Bashundhara's statement for 3rd time

22 April 2010, 18:00 PM

METROPOLITAN

Court Correspondent

A Dhaka court yesterday asked Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and other defendants in a Tk 200 crore defamation case to submit a statement by May 20. Chairman and Managing Director of Mediastar Ltd and Transcom Group Latifur Rahman, and Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman filed the lawsuit against Bashundhara Group on November 22 last year with the 4th Joint District Judge's Court in Dhaka. The court order came after a time petition was submitted for the third time on behalf of Sobhan and others yesterday. In the petition, one of the counsels said they prayed for adjournment of the hearing, as they could not prepare written statements. The other defendants include Senior Deputy Managing Director of Bashundhara Group Md Belayet Hossain, Bashundhara Chairman's Technical Adviser Latiful Abedin Hossain, Bashundhara Steel and Engineering Ltd Executive Director Maj (retd) Zahidur Rahman, and the group's 11 companies registered with the Office of the Registrar of Joint Stock Companies and Firms. On behalf of Matiur Rahman and Latifur Rahman, Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates filed the defamation suit on charges of publishing highly libellous advertisements and posters, and other malicious activities. The defendants appeared before the court on January 27 and sought time until March 11 to submit a statement. Later on March 11, they again sought time to submit the statement, upon which the court asked them to submit it yesterday. The case statement said Bashundhara Group has been involved in malicious activities since October 13 last year to tarnish the image of the complainants. Reports on the fire incident at Bashundhara City on March 13, 2009 were published in the media. The home ministry later formed a committee to probe the incident. But Bashundhara Group filed a general diary and published libellous advertisements in some newspapers implicating the complainants (Latifur Rahman and Matiur Rahman) in the incident to tarnish their image. The Bashundhara Group chairman was given the chance to offer apology but he declined, said the statement.