Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia | Photo credit: AFP
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Khaleda Zia A media report on Tuesday (September 3, 2024) said that he has been acquitted in five separate cases, including one for celebrating a “fake birthday” and another for supporting war criminals.
The court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque issued the acquittal order in four cases, while the court of Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain acquitted him in one case on Tuesday. dhaka tribune The newspaper reported this news.
The defendant, Ms Zia, 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, was acquitted after the plaintiff did not appear in court.
In August 2016, a journalist filed a case against Ms Zia for celebrating a “fake birthday”.
The complaint alleges that though five different birth dates of Ms Jia were received from various sources, none of them was on August 15.
Despite this, she has continued to celebrate her birthday on August 15, which is a national day of mourning since 1996 to commemorate the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, it said.
The complaint alleged that the BNP leader celebrates her birthday on this day only to tarnish the reputation of Bangabandhu and his family.
In November 2016, Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddiqui filed a case against Ms Zia for allegedly supporting war criminals.
In January 2017, Mr Siddiqui had filed a defamation suit against Ms Zia, accusing her of slandering Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League.
The case referred to a speech delivered by Ms Zia as the chief guest at the anniversary function of the Chhatra Dal in December 2016, in which she had allegedly said that Bangabandhu Rahman did not want independence for Bangladesh but aspired to become the prime minister of undivided Pakistan.
The complaint alleged that his statement was derogatory.
In January 2016, Siddiqui had filed a case against Ms Zia and BNP leader Gayeswar Chandra Roy for making derogatory remarks about the victims of the Liberation War.
In November 2016, the BNP chairperson was charged in another defamation and murder threat case filed by Siddiqui.
Ms Zia was under house arrest for the past five years and returned home from hospital as a free man after being granted a presidential pardon last month.
He was acquitted of all charges after the Awami League government led by his arch rival Sheikh Hasina collapsed on August 5.
Ms. Zia was the Prime Minister of Bangladesh from March 1991 to March 1996 and again from June 2001 to October 2006.