Dhaka:The High Court has summoned Supreme Court lawyer Barrister M Sarwar Hossain in relation to allegedly derogatory remarks made against a judge during a press conference. These remarks were reportedly made without presenting any supporting evidence.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the High Court has asked Sarwar Hossain to appear before the court on November 26. Additionally, the court issued a contempt of court rule against him, questioning why contempt proceedings should not be initiated regarding his statements.
The High Court bench consisting of Justice JBM Hasan and Justice Aziz Ahmed Bhuiyan issued a suo motu order for Sarwar Hossain to explain his actions in person. Furthermore, the court instructed the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC) to remove the video of the press conference from social media and other online platforms.
Deputy Attorney General Barrister Shihab Uddin Khan mentioned that the High Court considered the case after Sarwar Hossain made corruption allegations against a judicial officer at the press conference, prior to the allegations being substantiated. The court is seeking clarification on whether his remarks undermined the judiciary's dignity and the court's sanctity.
The allegations were directed at Nahid Rumana Mitu, Joint District Judge of Pirojpur, during a press conference organized by Sarwar Hossain. Assistant Attorneys General Mohiuddin Hanif and Tanzimat Maria were present during the hearing.
On November 5, a legal notice was served to Barrister M Sarwar Hossain for allegedly spreading false information and damaging the judge's reputation. Advocate Ishrat Hasan, representing Supreme Court lawyer Syed Mahfuzul Islam, sent the notice, demanding that Sarwar Hossain retract his statements and apologize to the judge involved.
Ishrat Hasan alleged that Sarwar Hossain's brother, Mohammad Bahadur Hossain, was involved in a case presided over by Judge Nahid Rumana Mitu. She claimed that Sarwar Hossain and his family attempted to pressure the judge to rule in their favor, but the verdict was delivered based on evidence and testimony, which did not favor his brother. Consequently, Sarwar Hossain allegedly held the press conference in retaliation to tarnish the judge's reputation. An appeal against the verdict has been filed and is currently pending, with lower court records submitted to the High Court.