Suspended Magistrate Urmi Granted Bail After Court Surrender

Suspended assistant commissioner Taposhi Tabassum Urmi today got bail in a defamation case after she surrendered to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) court here. Metropolitan Magistrate (MM) Md Imran Ahmed granted her bail after hearing both the sides. According to the court sources, Tabassum Urmi came to the CMM court at 10:30 am and gave in to the court through her lawyer. The prosecution side however opposed the bail petition.

Abu Hanif, media coordinator and upper council member of the Gano Adhikar Parishad, on August 8 lodged a defamation case against Tabassum Urmi for her derogatory comments about Shaheed Abu Sayeed and other martyred of the July-August uprising. Later, Metropolitan Magistrate of Dhaka Zakir Hossain recorded the statement of the complainant and asked Tabassum Urmi to surrender before the CMM Court on November 28.

The prosecution story of the case said Tabassum Urmi, being a responsible government officer, expressed derogatory remarks not only about Shaheed Abu Sayeed but also Noble Laureate and Chief Adviser of the interim government Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus on her facebook page on October 5 last. She also defamed interim government constitutionally formed in line with the reference of the Supreme Court and threatened to oust the government by creating fear in the public minds through her facebook post.

Tabassum Urmi was first made an officer on special duty (OSD) on October 6 for her Facebook remarks and attached with the Public Administration ministry. Later she was suspended on October 7. Administrative measures are also in progress against her as per the service rule, Public Relations Officer of the Public Administration ministry said.