Former caretaker government adviser Barrister Mainul Hosein was released from jail on bail on Sunday night, 97 days after his arrest for making ‘offensive comment’ against journalist Masuda Bhatti.

He was freed from the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) prison cell around 9pm after his release order reached the jail authorities, said jailer Mahbubul Islam of Dhaka Central Jail at Keraniganj, reports the UNB.

On January 13, the High Court granted bail to Barrister Mainul Hosein in 14 defamation cases for six months.

On Thursday, the Appellate Division upheld the High Court order granting bail to him, paving the way for his release.

A team of Detective Branch (DB) of police arrested Mainul from in front of Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal (JSD) president ASM Abdur Rob’s Uttara residence on October 22 last in a defamation case filed in Rangpur.

Later, 22 cases — one under the Digital Security Act and 21 for defamation —were filed against Barrister Mainul for defaming journalist Masuda Bhatti in a television talk-show.

Mainul who was connected to a talk-show ‘Ekattor Journal’ through videoconferencing aired on Ekattor TV hosted by Mithila Farzana made an ‘offensive comment’ against Masuda Bhatti on October 16.

During the talk-show, Masuda Bhatti asked Mainul, ‘You say that you’re in the Jatiya Oikyafront as a citizen of the country but in social networking sites, many people are saying that you’re there as a representative of Jamaat.’

Angered with the comment, Mainul said, ‘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 what question you have asked is embarrassing for me.’