Amir Hamza Granted 8-Week Anticipatory Bail in Minister Defamation Case

Islamic speaker and Kushtia-3 lawmaker from Jamaat-e-Islami, Mufti Amir Hamza, has secured an eight-week anticipatory bail from the High Court in a defamation case filed in Sirajganj. The case centers on allegedly derogatory remarks made against the Minister for Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hassan Mahmood Tuku.

A High Court bench consisting of Justice Zahid Sarwar Kajal and Justice Sheikh Abu Taher passed the order today, Monday (April 27). Noted Supreme Court lawyer Mohammad Shishir Manir represented Amir Hamza during the court proceedings.

The legal trouble for the lawmaker began on April 2, when Humayun Kabir, the additional public prosecutor of the Sirajganj District and Sessions Judge Court, filed the complaint. The case was registered under sections 296, 500, and 504 of the Penal Code, accusing Amir Hamza of making offensive statements that labeled the minister an "atheist" and included derogatory comments about Islam.

The controversy stems from a sequence of events following March 26, after Minister Tuku delivered a speech honoring the heroes of the 1971 Liberation War. According to the case statement, Amir Hamza allegedly described the minister as "anti-Islamic" during a discussion held before Jummah prayers at the Hatsh Haripur Boro Jame Mosque in Kushtia Sadar.

Prior to today's bail, an Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Court in Sirajganj had issued an arrest warrant against the lawmaker on April 21. The warrant was issued after Amir Hamza failed to appear before the court despite a prior summons.

With the High Court granting anticipatory bail, the lawmaker is protected from arrest in connection with this specific case for the next eight weeks. The legal team representing the speaker argued that the remarks were taken out of context and that the bail was necessary to ensure a fair legal process. The court's decision provides temporary relief to the Kushtia-3 representative as the investigation into the allegations continues.