Bangladesh ex-PM Khaleda Zia acquitted in 5 cases

Dhaka, Sep 03: Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in five separate cases, including one filed over allegations of celebrating a “fake birthday” and another for supporting war criminals, a media report said on Tuesday.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque's court issued acquittal orders in four cases whereas Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain's court acquitted her in one case on Tuesday, The Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The defendant, 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Zia, was acquitted after the plaintiff did not appear in court.

In August 2016, a case was filed against Zia by a journalist for celebrating a “fake birthday”.

The complaint alleged that although five different birthdates of Zia were found through various sources, none was on August 15.

It said that despite this, she has been celebrating her birthday on August 15, which is the national mourning day commemorating the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman since 1996.

The complaint alleged that the BNP leader celebrates her birthday on this day solely to tarnish the reputation of Bangabandhu and his family.

In November 2016, a case was filed by AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, against Zia for allegedly supporting war criminals.