Govt files petitions seeking stay on Khaleda's bail

The government has filed separate petitions with the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the High Court orders that granted bail to BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two defamation cases.

According to the petitions, the BNP chief made derogatory comments about the number of Liberation War martyrs and demeaned Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

So, Khaleda cannot get bail in the cases, DAG Aslam said.

The stay petitions will be moved soon before the court of the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, DAG Aslam added.  

On December 21, 2015, Khaleda at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh in Dhaka raised questions about the actual number of Liberation War martyrs saying, "There're controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War.”

Reacting over Khaleda's remarks, Raihan Farooque Imam of Naragati in Narail filed a defamation case against her on December 24, 2015.

On January 5, 2016, AB Siddiqui, president of Jananetri Parishad, filed another defamation case with Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court in Dhaka against the BNP chief over the same remark.

Following two separate petitions, the HC granted bail to Khaleda Zia in the cases earlier this week.