The trial of Tapashee Tabassum Urmi, a suspended assistant commissioner (executive magistrate) from the Lalmonirhat District Commissioner's Office, began today, February 4. Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Sefatullah ordered charges to be framed against her, according to Khademul Islam, the lawyer for the plaintiff.
The case was transferred to this court, where Urmi appeared in person. Her lawyer filed a request for her discharge from the charges, while the plaintiff's lawyer asked the court to proceed with the trial.
After considering both sides, the court framed charges against Urmi under Section 500 of the Penal Code for defamation.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Abu Hanif, a member of the higher council and media coordinator of Gono Odhikar Parishad, on October 8, 2024. Hanif alleged that Urmi made defamatory comments on Facebook about Shaheed Abu Sayed, a government formed through a student-people mass movement, and Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, the head of the government. The complaint claims that Urmi’s remarks criticized a constitutionally established government and referenced a ruling from the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court, causing public fear and threatening to overthrow the government.
Following the controversy over her Facebook post, Urmi was reassigned to the Ministry of Public Administration as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) and was later temporarily suspended. A decision was also made to initiate a departmental case against her.
