A group of people assaulted Mainul Hosein while he was being produced before a court in the northern district of Rangpur on Sunday (Nov 4).
Witnesses said a group of AL activists gathered at the court premises, threw eggs and shoes at Mainul as the police was escorting him to the courtroom in a case filed for hurling abusive words at journalist Masuda Bhatti on live television.
At one point, local BNP leaders and activists appeared there as some party leaders were also being produced before the court in separate cases.
A scuffle also took place between the AL and BNP men, triggering a chase-and-counter chase on the court premises.
Police lobbed tear gas shells and fired bullets to disperse the unruly activists leaving 15 people injured.
On Oct 22, Judge Arifa Yasmin Mukta of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Rangpur issued a warrant for Mainul’s arrest after a local human rights activist, Mili Maya, filed a defamation case with it.
According to the case statement, Mainul who was connected to a talk show programme, 'Ekattorer Journal', through a videoconference aired on a private TV channel, Ekattor TV, hosted by Mithila Farzana, made an 'offensive comments' against her on October 16.
He tarnished the image of Masuda Bhatti, it said.