Khaleda Zia acquitted in 5 defamation cases

On Tuesday, two separate courts acquitted the BNP chairperson in the cases

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in five defamation cases for comments against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, questioning the number of martyrs in the Liberation War and also for celebrating her birthday on a false date, all of which were filed against her under the Awami League government.

On Tuesday, Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Tofazzal Hossain made the decision in one case and Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahabul Haque made the decision in four cases, all acquitting Khaleda

Jananetri Parishad President AB Siddique filed four defamation cases with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court from 2014 to 2017. Journalist Gazi Zahirul Islam filed the other defamation case.

Khaleda’s lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukdar petitioned for her acquittal in all those cases.

“A review of documents showed that, as ordered by the learned Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court on Oct 3, 2018, the documents were forwarded to this court for settlement. Since then the plaintiff did not appear at the court. It seems the plaintiff had no interest in the case,” Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Md Mahabul Haque said in his verdict.

“Hence, there is no scope to defer the case hearing and according to article 247 of the Penal Code, both suspects are acquitted.”

Besides Khaleda, BNP Standing Committee Member Gayeshwer Chandra Roy was named in the cases. He has been acquitted as well.

Md Samadul Haque, the bench assistant to Judge Md Mahabul Haque, said that Khaleda was acquitted as plaintiff AB Siddique did not appear before the court for a long time.

During the Awami League government, the BNP chairperson was jailed for five years after her conviction in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case. She was sent to jail on Feb 8, 2018. The High Court extended her sentence in October that same year following an appeal by the Anti-Corruption Commission. She was also sentenced to prison in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case in the same month. She was in jail for more than two years.

On Mar 25, 2020, amid the pandemic, the former prime minister was temporarily released from prison through an executive order under a series of conditions. Since then, her release order has been extended every six months.

Khaleda was freed on Aug 7 by presidential order after the Sheikh Hasina government was toppled by a mass movement.