Indictment hearing in two cases against Khaleda 5 Sept

BNP chairperson Khaleda ZiaFile photo

A Dhaka court on Thursday set 5 September for holding hearing on charge framing in two cases lodged against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia for celebrating fake birthday on the National Mourning Day, and stigmatizing the War of Liberation by rehabilitating the anti-liberation forces.

Additional chief metropolitan magistrate Asaduzzaman Noor passed the order as the regular operation of the court resumed after a long break due to the Corona pandemic, court sources said.

Journalist Gazi Jahirul Islam lodged the case against Khaleda on 30 August 2016.

According to the complainant, Khaleda from 1996 is celebrating her fake birthday on 15 August, the day when Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was martyred along with most of his family members. She is doing this on purpose only to dishonour the Father of the Nation.

The complainant also submitted copies of different newspaper reports on Khaleda’s birthday, copies of her passport, marriage certificate and mark sheets, which indicates her birthday on any other day, but not 15 August.

Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddiqui filed the other case on 3 November 2016, against Khaleda Zia and her late husband Ziaur Rahman for stigmatising the War of Liberation by rehabilitating anti- Liberation War elements.

The BNP chief is on bail in both the cases as Dhaka metropolitan sessions judge KM Imrul Qayesh granted her bail on 31 July 2018.