Bangladesh’s former PM faces sedition case

DHAKA: Bangladesh’s former prime minister and head of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party Khaleda Zia was ordered on Monday to appear in a court to answer the charge of sedition.

The case was filed by Momtaz Uddin Ahmad Mehdi, a lawyer with the Bangladesh Supreme Court and a supporter of the ruling Awami League.

He alleged that remarks Ms Zia made last month about the 1971 war were seditious. She had said there were “controversies” over the number of those who were killed.

The petitioner said the comment had hurt him “as a patriot” and that as a citizen he had a right to file the case.

A group affiliated with the BNP called for a countrywide protest on Tuesday.

Ms Zia was ordered to appear in court on March 3.

Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, acting secretary general of the BNP, dismissed the case as politically motivated. “This is nothing but a mockery and its aim is to deter Khaleda from politics,” he told reporters.

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2016

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Comments (5) Closed

Javed Sarfraz

Jan 26, 2016 07:37am

There is truth in what Khalida Zia has said.

Recommend 0

Eli

Jan 26, 2016 08:38am

Not sure why anybody in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh can file a lawsuit against anybody on the basis that his/her sentiments have been hurt. Lot of politicians, players, actors have been unnecessarily dragged into the court in the past. It's about time these countries do legislation to put an end to this absurd interpretation of laws.

Recommend 0

Khan

Jan 26, 2016 09:27am

Here goes another expected International cricket match out of Bangladesh. Their government selectively targeting opposition leaders; very soon the frustrated opposition will be avenging the government for killing and incarnating the innocents. Vicious cycle already started.

Recommend 0

Aleem

Jan 26, 2016 09:36am

The Awami League is pushing its luck. Sooner or later they will be on the receiving end of all the high handedness going on in BD.

Recommend 0

Seek the Truth.

Jan 26, 2016 05:55pm

An independent research should be carried out, as to how many most unfortunately lost their precious lives. This is one of the most terrible times in the Sub-Continent, which could and should have been avoided. This is where our leaders failed, and the ordinary people paid a very price with their lives. The lesson of East Pakistan should never be forgotten. There is the political side, and then there is the human tragedy. The people of Pakistan should share the grief of the people of Bangladesh. Our great failure was the inability to accept the truth, accept the reality, accept the aspirations of the majority, accept the result of the polls, we simply could not fathom that the people of East Pakistan had the courage to demand to be independent.

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