Khaleda acquitted in 5 defamation cases

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been acquitted from five defamation cases filed against her during the last Awami League tenure over derogatory remarks about Liberation War, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Three separate courts in Dhaka dismissed the cases and relieved the BNP chairperson of the charges today as the complainants were absent for several dates without taking any steps.

Second Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahbubul Haque dismissed three defamation cases filed over undermining the national flag and observing a "fake birthday" on August 15.

One of the cases was filed by AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, with a Dhaka court on November 3, 2016 accusing Khaleda and her late husband, former president Ziaur Rahman, of "undermining" the country's map and national flag.

The court dropped Ziaur Rahman's name from the charges as he is dead.

The second case accusing Khaleda of celebrating her "fake birthday" on August 15, the National Mourning Day, was filed by Gazi Zahirul Islam, former joint general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists, with another Dhaka court on August 30, 2016.

The third case was filed by AB Siddique on October 21, 2014 claiming that on October 14 of the same year, Khaleda at a programme in Engineers Institution in Dhaka said "the ruling party's [AL] professed secularism was nothing but a sham," adding that her remarks hurt religious sentiments of Muslims.

Third Additional Chief Additional Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain dismissed another case as the complainant was absent today without taking any steps.

The case was filed on January 5 of 2016 against Khaleda and the party's senior leader Goyeshwar Chandra Roy for demeaning Liberation War martyrs.

AB Siddique, president of Jananetri Parishad, filed the case against them.

Md Mahbubul Haque (in charge) of Fourth Additional Chief Additional Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka dismissed a case filed by AB Siddique. On January 25 of 2017, AB Siddique filed the case against Kheleda on charges of making a "defamatory statement" on Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

In the complaint, Siddique alleged that Khaleda, at a programme on December 31, 2016, said Bangabandhu wanted to be the prime minister of undivided Pakistan rather than leading Bangladesh (the then East Pakistan) to independence.