A journalist has served a legal notice to Islamic speaker Syed Muhammad Enayetullah Abbasi over his remarks threatening journalists with physical assault.
Supreme Court lawyer Khademul Islam sent the legal notice on Sunday on behalf of Azharul Islam Sujon, an executive committee member of the Court Reporters Unity, an organization of journalists working in Dhaka courts. The lawyer confirmed the matter to Chitra Post.
The notice asks Syed Muhammad Enayetullah Abbasi to withdraw his statements and issue an unconditional apology within seven days of receiving the notice. Failing to do so, legal steps will be initiated under existing laws for defamation, issuing threats of physical attack, incitement, and making derogatory remarks against journalists and the journalism profession, the notice stated.
According to the notice, Abbasi delivered a speech on October 19 during the annual Waz and Dua Mahfil at Nishchintapur Hafijia Madrasa in Matlab upazila of Chandpur district. At one point in his speech, he reportedly said, "Journalists in Bangladesh are the worst. They deserve to be beaten like dogs."
He further added, "A young state minister, along with his forces, tried to break the chain of a drug syndicate. Instead of broadcasting positive news, journalists reported that he ran around with a pistol. These journalists are dangerous. They practice yellow journalism and are funded by foreign intelligence branches. They do not want Bangladesh to prosper."
The notice further stated that through these remarks, Syed Muhammad Enayetullah Abbasi has threatened journalists with physical assault—both personally and through his followers—creating a fearful environment for journalism. It noted that his statements have severely undermined the journalism profession and professional journalists.
