BB employee files libel suit against ETV

A Bangladesh Bank official has filed a defamation case against Ekushey Television (ETV) over alleged broadcasting of ‘false information’. Md Abdur Taher Bhuiyan, a 2nd grade employee of the central bank, filed the case at Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s Court on Monday. ETV’s Chief Executive and Chairman Abdus Salam, Chief News Editor Ibrahim Azad, Staff Reporter Faruk Hossain and Cameraman Abdur Razzaq were named as accused in the case. The court of Metropolitan Magistrate Ashok Kumar Dutta heard the plaintiff’s statement and ordered police to file a report within January 8 next year, said the plaintiff’s counsel Dulal Mitra. He said that an ETV report aired on Nov 22 and 23 said central bank employee Abu Taher ‘amassed Tk 240 million’ from Janata Bank’s Foreign Exchange Corporate Branch. The report also suggested Taher had made millions through unfair means and now owns a company, ‘Newtex’. A bank statement has been submitted to the court, which claimed Taher was not an owner of the Newtex and that he had not taken any loan from Janata Bank, said Dulal, according to a news agency.