High Court wants documents on Khaleda's birthday

The High Court has ordered the authorities to submit all documents, including birth registration and academic certificates, related to BNP chief Khaleda Zia's birthday.

All boards of intermediate and secondary education, foreign secretary, secretary to the Election Commission, director general of health services and the director general of passport and immigration have been directed to report back within 60 days.

Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order on Sunday during a preliminary hearing of a writ petition challenging the legality of Khaleda's use of multiple birth dates, including Aug 15, the National Mourning Day.

The petition also seeks a rule on the legality of the defendants' failure to take legal action against the BNP chairperson for tarnishing the solemnity of National Mourning Day by celebrating her birthday on Aug 15.

The home and health secretaries, inspector general of police, commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police and OC of Gulshan Police have been asked to respond to the rule.

Lawyer Nahid Sultana Juthi presented the writ petition before the virtual bench while Deputy Attorney General Bipul Bagmar appeared for the state. Khaleda's lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon also attended the hearing.

Khokon challenged the admissibility of the writ petition on the grounds that it was politically motivated but the bench deferred scrutiny of the matter until the rule hearing.

The writ petition mentions five different birthdays used by Khaleda, according to DAG Bagmar. The dates vary from Sept 5, 1946 on her SSC marksheet to Aug 4, 1944 on her marriage registration. Her passport states Aug 5, 1947 as her birthday while it is May 7, 1948 on her coronavirus test report from May this year.

Earlier on May 31, Supreme Court lawyer Mamunur Rashid filed a writ petition with the High Court challenging the inaction of the defendants in taking action against Khaleda over her multiple birth dates.