A Dhaka court on Thursday asked Bashundhara Group Chairman Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and other defendants to submit a written statement by April 22 this year in connection with a civil defamation suit filed against them seeking Tk 200 crore in damages.
Judge SM Saiful Islam of the Third Joint District Judge's Court passed the order following a time petition submitted on behalf of Ahmed Akbar Sobhan and the others.
The other defendants in the case are Bashundhara Group's Senior Deputy Managing Director Md Belayet Hossain, its Chairman's Technical Adviser Latiful Abedin Hossain, Bashundhara Steel and Engineering Ltd Executive Director Maj (retd) Zahidur Rahman, and the group's 11 companies listed with the Joint Stock Exchange.
Earlier on November 22 last year, Prothom Alo Editor and Publisher Matiur Rahman, and Chairman and Managing Director of Mediastar Ltd and Transcom Group Latifur Rahman filed a civil defamation suit with the 4th Joint District Judge's Court of Dhaka against Bashundhara Group, seeking Tk 200 crore in damages.
On behalf of Matiur Rahman and Latifur Rahman, Dr Kamal Hossain and Associates filed the defamation suit on charges of publishing highly libellous and insulting advertisements and posters, and for other malicious activities.
On January 27, the defendants had appeared before the court to contest the suit and sought time to submit written statements against the suit on March 11.
Source: thedailystar.net
