DHAKA: Two Dhaka courts on Thursday (June 21) fixed July 5 to deliver their orders on the bail petitions of BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in two defamation cases filed over celebrating fake birthday and patronizing war criminals.

Two Metropolitan Magistrates Md Khurshid Alam and Md Ahsan Habib fixed the date after hearing separate bail petitions filed by Khaleda's lawyer Sanaullah Miah on June 14. 

On August 30 in 2016, former joint general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists Gazi Zahirul Islam filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court accusing Khaleda of provoking people by celebrating her 'false' birthday on August 15.

In the case, Jahirul Islam said Khaleda's date of birth was mentioned as August 15, 1946 in her latest passport while August 9, 1944 in her marriage registration and September 5, 1946, in her (unsuccessful) SSC mark sheet.

Later on November 17, court issued a warrant for the arrest of the BNP chairperson in a case filed against her for celebrating 'fake' birthday on the National Mourning Day on August 15.

On the other hand, on November 3 in 2016, Jananetri Parishad President AB Siddique filed the other case with a court accusing Khaleda of undermining the country's map and the national flag for allowing the flag to be hoisted on recognized war criminals’ cars.

BDST: 1810 HRS, JUNE 21, 2018
AP