SC upholds Khaleda’s bail in 2 cases

The Supreme Court has upheld High Court order that granted bail to BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in two defamation cases - filed in Dhaka and Narail.

Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain-led three-member Appellate Division bench dismissed the government’s two leave to appeal petitions against the bail on Monday. 

But, BNP chairperson will remain behind bars as she is arrested in few other cases.

Earlier, the High Court granted six-month bail to Khaleda on August 13 in a case filed in Narail and on August 14 in a case filed in Dhaka.

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

On December 21, 2015, Khaleda at a discussion at Engineers Institute raised questions about the 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.