UNB, Dhaka :
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday filed a petition with the High Court (HC) seeking cancellation of a lower court order taking cognisance of charges in a sedition case filed against her for her remarks about the number of martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.
In the petition, the BNP chief said, Either the state or any government official can file a sedition case. But the plaintiff (in my case) is a lawyer. The plaintiff has no jurisdiction to file the case.
On December 21, 2015, Khaleda Zia at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh raised questions about the number of Liberation War martyrs. There’re controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War. There’re also many books and documents on the controversies, she had said.
Khaleda’s remarks triggered widespread criticism.
Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, also the former member of Awami League central committee, sent a legal notice to the BNP chairperson on December 23 of the year.
As the BNP chief did not reply to the legal notice, Momtaz filed an appeal with the Home Ministry seeking its permission to file a sedition case against Khaleda.
On January 21, 2016, the ministry permitted Momtaz to file the sedition case and subsequently the lawyer filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka on January 25.
The court took cognisance of the complaint on the same day and summoned Khaleda to appear before the court. However, Khaleda secured bail in the case later.
On August 10 last, the trial court took cognisance of a charge-sheet in the case.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia on Tuesday filed a petition with the High Court (HC) seeking cancellation of a lower court order taking cognisance of charges in a sedition case filed against her for her remarks about the number of martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.
In the petition, the BNP chief said, Either the state or any government official can file a sedition case. But the plaintiff (in my case) is a lawyer. The plaintiff has no jurisdiction to file the case.
On December 21, 2015, Khaleda Zia at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers Bangladesh raised questions about the number of Liberation War martyrs. There’re controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War. There’re also many books and documents on the controversies, she had said.
Khaleda’s remarks triggered widespread criticism.
Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, also the former member of Awami League central committee, sent a legal notice to the BNP chairperson on December 23 of the year.
As the BNP chief did not reply to the legal notice, Momtaz filed an appeal with the Home Ministry seeking its permission to file a sedition case against Khaleda.
On January 21, 2016, the ministry permitted Momtaz to file the sedition case and subsequently the lawyer filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka on January 25.
The court took cognisance of the complaint on the same day and summoned Khaleda to appear before the court. However, Khaleda secured bail in the case later.
On August 10 last, the trial court took cognisance of a charge-sheet in the case.
