Jamaat Candidate Files Defamation Suit Against Jahangirnagar University Lecturer Over ‘Sexist’ Remarks Allegation
Professor Jahidul Islam, the Jamaat-e-Islami nominated candidate for the Sirajganj-2 (Sadar-Kamarkhand) constituency and Secretary of the Sirajganj District Jamaat, has filed a lawsuit against a lecturer at Jahangirnagar University (JU).
The lecturer is Dr. Nahrin Islam Khan, Registrar and Assistant Professor of the Environmental Sciences Department at JU.
The case was filed this morning, Tuesday (November 4th), under Section 500 of the Penal Code in the Amali Court of Sirajganj Sadar Police Station. Advocate Md. Tariqul Islam, a lawyer at the Sirajganj Judge Court, confirmed the matter.
The Allegation
According to the lawsuit, during a program on Gazi TV titled ‘Rainbow Nation vs. Religious Card’ on October 25th, Dr. Nahrin Islam Khan, in the presence of host Kazi Jesin, made defamatory statements about the Sirajganj District Jamaat Secretary, referencing an interview given to BBC Bangla.
The complaint states that Dr. Khan alleged: The Sirajganj Jamaat Secretary, following the flight of Awami League leaders on August 5th last year, stated that the wives of those leaders were the ‘rightful due (Haq) of Jamaat.’ The lecturer implied that Jamaat members are lustful (women-lobers). A video clip of the statement has since gone viral.
Fact Check and Defense
• A review of the BBC Bangla interview, however, shows that the Jamaat leader had stated that Awami League workers had been harassed in various ways after August 5th, but that “no one was harassed by us.” He then expressed the belief that “the votes of the general Awami League voters and supporters will come to us.”
• Jamaat leader Professor Jahidul Islam claimed that the statement made by the lecturer is “completely false, fabricated, and vulgar,” which has damaged his personal reputation and the image of Jamaat-e-Islami. He asserted that he never made such a statement and that the lecturer’s comments were intended to mislead the public against Jamaat-e-Islami.
Advocate Md. Abu Taleb of the Sirajganj Judge Court said, “We have presented all evidence, including the video clip, to the court. The court has taken the case into consideration for further legal proceedings after initial verification.”
