A Dhaka court has scrapped a defamation petition filed against BNP chief Khaleda Zia on charges of “distorting the history of Liberation War” by saying that her husband Ziaur Rahman was “Bangladesh’s first president”.
Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Shamsul Arefin issued the order after a hearing on Monday.
The Magistrate said the petition lacked substantial elements and could not therefore be accepted as a case.Earlier in the day, ‘Jananetri Parishad’ chief AB Siddiqui filed the complaint with Dhaka’s Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court.
Siddiqui said he had taken Khaleda to court because he felt the BNP chief’s claim had ‘distorted history and defamed’ Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. At a programme in London last week, Khaleda’s elder son BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman claimed his father was Bangladesh’s first president.
A day later, the BNP chief backed her son’s claims.
Sunday’s Parliament session saw a heated debate over the claims and several MPs demanded that steps be taken charging Khaleda with sedition. – bdnews24.com
