A Dhaka court yesterday asked the police to submit their probe report against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia by March 23 in a case filed for allegedly making false and instigative remarks on religious issues, involving the ruling Awami League.
Metropolitan Magistrate Md Zakir Hossain Tipu fixed the fresh date as the Shahbagh police did not submit the probe report before it on the day. The submission was deferred 14 times.
On October 21, 2014, AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami league organisation, filed the case under section 153 (A), 295 (A) of Penal Code.
After recording his statements, the then metropolitan magistrate directed the Shahbagh police to investigate the case and submit a probe report.
The case says former premier Khaleda made “false, derogatory and instigative” remarks over religious issues, involving the Awami League while addressing a function marking Durga Puja at the capital’s Engineers Institute on October 14, 2014.
“Khaleda’s remarks that secularism is Awami League’s mask and it is a party of atheists has hurt the religious sentiment of the people of the country,” the complainant claimed.
