Sports Live: Cricketer Nasir Hossain and his newly-wed wife Tamima Sultana on Wednesday defended their marriage hours after Tamima’s ex-husband Rakib Hasan filed a case against the couple accusing them of adultery.

Rakib filed the case with Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jashim in which he accused Nasir of marrying Tamima without the latter formally divorcing him, said his lawyer Ishrat Jahan.

The court ordered the Police Bureau of Investigation to investigate the charges and file a report by March 30.  Nasir and Tamima held a press conference at a city hotel, where their legal advisor was also present. Tamima claimed that she was legally separated from Rakib before marrying Nasir.

‘What Rakib is telling in the media is a blatant lie. I started the process of separation with him in 2016 and the process ended in 2017.

I have followed full legal procedures. He and his family members are well aware of that,’ said Tamima during the press conference. ‘His statements have only two truths. I married him and we have a child.

Apart from that, every information is false', Tamima added. Nasir told the media that he was well aware about the past of his wife.

‘I knew Tamima for more than four years. She was a good friend of mine. Then we fell in love and got married. We are mature enough to not make such mistakes,’ said Nasir.

‘We married according to the rules of the land, according to the religious clauses. We informed everyone. If we had any ill intentions, then we could have concealed the marriage,’ he added.

‘I know that she was married before and she has a kid. We married knowing everything, taking all the legal steps', said Nasir. He also said that he will be taking legal actions against those who spread demeaning words about his wife.

‘Now she is Tamima Hossain, I don't like anybody raising fingers towards my wife or saying something. I will take legal actions against them', Nasir told the reporters.

Nasir's lawyer also said that he would face the case in legal way. Nasir Hossain tied the knot with airline cabin crew Tamima on February 14. The wedding ceremony of the player held at a restaurant in Uttara in the capital on Sunday.

Nasir posted several photos of his wedding on his verified Facebook page the next day and sought blessings from all.

The wedding stroked a controversy after Rakib accused Tamima of marrying Nasir without formally divorcing him and filed general diary with a police station in the capital. Rakib also claimed that Tamima has an eight-year old daughter with him. The daughter is now living with his parents, he told reporters.

Nasir, who played 19 Tests, 65 ODIs, and 31 Twenty20 internationals overall, held a wedding reception at a city venue amid the controversy.

Once a regular player in all three formats, Nasir last played for the national team in 2018 when he appeared in a one-day international against Sri Lanka.

Nasir, who hit the headlines for several wrong reasons in the recent past, missed the cut in the recent Bangabandhu Cup T20 tournament owing to his poor fitness.In January, he played in a controversial T10 tournament in the UAE.

Dhaka, 24 February (campuslive24.com)//AIT