HC likely to hold hearing today

The High Court (HC) today might hold hearing on the petition filed by BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia challenging the trial proceedings of a sedition case against her.

Khaleda submitted the petition through her lawyers on January 5 praying to the HC seeking stay on the proceedings of the case, which was lodged for her comments on the count of 1971 martyrs.

The bench of Justice Syed Muhammad Dastagir Husain and Justice Md Ataur Rahman Khan might hold hearing on the petition today, said Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Md Bashirullah.

Bashirullah told The Daily Star that the former prime minister said in her petition that Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, who is the plaintiff of the case, had no right to file such a case, as he was not a government official.

There is no ingredient of sedition in her comments for which the case was filed, he said, citing the petition. 

In the case, complainant Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi alleged Khaleda Zia on December 21, 2015 at a programme, organised by Jatiyatabadi Muktijoddha Dal marking the 45th Victory Day, said, “There are controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War.”  

The news was published in different newspapers the following day, which hurt the complainant and it was tantamount to sedition.

She also said, “He (unpronounced name of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman) did not want independence of Bangladesh, he (Bangabandhu) wanted to be prime minister of Pakistan, liberation war would not take place if Ziaur Rahman did not declare independence.” 

A Dhaka court on August 10 last year accepted the charges against Khaleda in the case for its trial.