Barisal: The probe committee formed to investigate deviations from the legal procedure in the farce that saw former Barguna Sadar UNO Gazi Tariq Salmon hauled up on charges of apparently defaming Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, started working in Barisal on Sunday.

The committee members went to Barisal Circuit House around 10am.

Later, they met Obaidullah Saju, a recently suspended religious affairs secretary of Barisal district unit of Awami League who filed the case, Md Mukhlesur Rahman, lawyer of Tariq Salmon, and six police members, who were on duty at Metropolitan Magistrate Court on the day of the incident, said Md Habibur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Barisal.

On August 1, the committee met Tariq Salmon at the conference room of the Cabinet Division and heard about the incident.

Obaidullah Saju filed the Tk 5-crore defamation case against the then UNO on charges of using a 'distorted' portrait of Bangabandhu in the invitation card issued on the occasion of Independence Day.

On July 19, Barisal CMM court sent UNO Tariq to jail after he surrendered before it in compliance with its order and sought bail in the defamation case.

Tariq was granted bail on a bond of Tk 10,000, hours after he landed in jail.

Amid huge public outcry throughout the country over the incident, the plaintiff withdrew the case and the court finally quashed the much-talked-about case.

Awami League suspended Obaidullah Saju for filing the defamation case 'overenthusiastically'.

On July 24, the deputy commissioners of Barguna and Barisal were withdrawn over the Tariq case.

A portrait of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, drawn by a child during a painting competition organised by then UNO in Agailjhara upazila Salman of Barisal district on the occasion of National Children's Day (marking the birthday of the Father of the Nation on March 17), was used in the invitation card.