Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina says, Barrister Mainul Hosein, now under fire for Masuda Bhatti remarks, was a ‘collaborator’ of the Pakistani forces during the 1971 war.
Speaking at press conference on Monday, she also claimed that Mainul, the son of Bangabandhu’s trusted ally Tofazzal Hossain Manik Mia, was behind the killing of martyred intellectual Sirajuddin Hossain.
The media call at the PM’s official residence the Ganabhaban was meant to brief on Hasina’s recent Saudi Arabia visit. The prime minister also took questions on current events of Bangladesh.
Mainul’s remarks have triggered a firestorm of anger and criticism when he called journalist Masuda Bhatti a ‘debauchee’ in Ekattor Journal, a talk show aired live on Ekattor TV.
“What can you expect from a person who hurls abuses at a female journalist?” Hasina said while responding to a query.
“Do you know who he is? He used be collaborator of the Pakistani forces during the 1971 Liberation War. I can at least say that he played a role when Sirajuddin Hossain was whisked away from the Ittefaq offices,” she said.
The then-Ittefaq Executive Editor Sirajuddin Hossain was taken away from his home on the night of Dec 10, 1971 by the Pakistani forces who were aided by men from vigilante militia al-Badr.
Mainul, one of the sponsors of the Dr Kamal Hossain-led new alliance with the BNP, served as an adviser to the military-installed caretaker administration, when Sheikh Hasina and BNP chief Khaleda Zia were arrested on graft charges.
Mainul’s father Tofazzal Hossain popularly known as Manik Mia was the editor of Daily Ittefaq until his death in 1969.
Once the chairman of Ittefaq’s editorial board, Mainul is now the publisher and head of the editorial board of English daily the New Nation.
Mainul’s brother Anwar Hossain Monju, a minister in Hasina administration, now owns Ittefaq following a 2010 deal among the brothers who have been involved in a long drawn out rivalry.
“He (Mainul) even got murdered someone in Ittefaq (offices) and later tried to frame his brother,” Hasina said on Monday.
When Mainul returned from the UK in the early 60s after getting his law degree, his father had to employ a cook for preparing British foods for his son, said the prime minister. “Our family had very good relations with their family.”
Hasina said that Mainul had learnt to eat like a British, but did not learn etiquettes. “Not everyone knows these, but I know. And I know more which I will share later.”
On the political affiliation of Mainul, who is now involved with the new anti-government alliance, the prime minister said that he was involved with the political party floated by Khondoker Moshtaq Ahmed after the 1975 Bangabandhu assassination.
“Later, he (Mainul) launched another party with the self-confessed killers of Bangabandhu,” she said.
Mainul, who has been sued by journalist Masuda Bhatti for libel, has secured anticipatory bail from the High Court.
“There can be more cases against. You (the media) carry on with the protests and the law enforces will do whatever needed,” said Hasina.
