The High Court has granted BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia permanent bail on two cases filed over hurting religious sentiments and derogatory remarks on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
The bench of Justice Jahangir Hossain and Justice Shahed Nuruddin granted her bail plea after a hearing on Thursday.
Previously in 2019, a High Court bench had extended her bail in these cases by one year. That same year, she was granted a six-month bail.
Two cases were filed against the BNP chief—one for derogatory comments on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2017 and another in 2014 for hurting religious sentiments.
On December 31, 2016, the former prime minister, during a Jatiyatabadi Chhatra Dal program at Engineering Institute had said: “Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman did not want independence of the country. He wanted to be the prime minister of Pakistan. The people went to war after General Ziaur Rahman announced the War of Independence.”
She also criticized the Awami League government, saying that under the regime, corruption in the name of development was rife and the minorities were being persecuted.
On January 25, 2017, AB Siddique, president of Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, filed a case against Khaleda.
He had filed another case against her in 2014, for hurting religious sentiment and attempting to create communal divide.
