C T Online Desk: A Dhaka court yesterday deferred the charge hearing in two cases against Begum Khaleda Zia deferred to June 14.
Dhaka’s Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Muhammad Asaduzzaman Nur passed the order after the BNP Chief’s lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder submitted two separate petitions, seeking adjournment of the hearing in the cases.
The two cases have been lodged on the charges of undermining the national flag and observing “fake birthday” on August 15. With yesterday (Thursday), the defense took 17 dates for hearing on different excuses.
In the petitions, the defense lawyer said Begum Khaleda Zia could not come to the court due to her illness. So, the hearing should be adjourned, Masud Ahmed added.
One of the cases was filed by AB Siddique, President of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organization, with a Dhaka court on November 3, 2016, accusing Khaleda Zia and her late husband, former President Ziaur Rahman, of “undermining” the country’s map and national flag. The court dropped the name of Ziaur Rahman as he is dead.
Gazi Zahirul Islam, former Joint General Secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists filed the second case with another Dhaka court accusing Khaleda Zia of celebrating her “fake birthday” on August 15, the National Mourning Day.
