Barrister Mainul Hosein has secured bail in a case filed over his remarks defaming journalist Masuda Bhatti.

On Sunday (Sept 8), Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain granted his bail plea.

The same court denied Mainul bail on Sept 3, when he surrendered before it after his five-month bail expired.

The former caretaker government adviser landed in jail once again following the court order.

Mainul had been behind the bars for three months after being arrested on Oct 22 last year in the case.

The publisher and editorial board chief of The Daily New Nation, Mainul faced intense criticism 16 when he called journalist Bhatti ‘a woman of loose morals’ in Ekattor Journal, a talk show aired live on Ekattor TV.

On Jan 14 this year, Mainul had been released from jail after receiving a bail order from the High Court in more than two dozen of defamation cases filed against him for the remarks.

On Aug 21, the Appellate Division ordered Mainul to surrender to the Judicial Court within 15 days in response to a petition filed by the state challenging Mainul’s release.

In line with the court’s order, Mainul surrendered to the court.

During the talk-show, Bhatti asked Mainul, "You say that you're in the Jatiya Oikya Front as a citizen of the country but in social networking sites, many people are saying that you're there as a representative of Jamaat [-e-Islami]."

Angered with the comment, Mainul responded, "I'm thanking you for your audacity and I want to believe you as 'characterless'. There's no question about Jamaat link's with me and the question you have asked is embarrassing for me."