An apex court of Dhaka has issued a fresh arrest warrant against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who was jailed in a 2014 case where she was accused of hurting religious sentiments and making inflammatory comments over them.
According to ANI news reports, Dhaka Tribune reported that a petitioner, named AB Siddique, has filed a plea on Sunday directing Zia’s arrest allegedly making remarks over religious issues along with the ruling Awami League Party, following which Dhaka metropolitan magistrate Muhammad Jasimuddin passed the order.
Also, the Dhaka court fixed the date by February 18 for the authorities in order to submit a report over the execution of the arrest warrant against Zia.
Pro-Awami League organization Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad president AB Siddique has files a case on October 21, 2014, against the former prime minister of Bangladesh accusing her of making “false, derogatory and instigative” remarks or comments on religion issues concerning the ruling party in Dhaka at a function.
In his plea, Siddique said: “Khaleda in her remarks said that secularism is Awami League’s mask and it is a party of atheists that hurt the religious sentiments of the people of the country.”
Zia, who represents as the chairperson of the Bangladesh Opposition Party (BNP), is currently prisoned and serving a 17-year jail term in connection to two corruption cases, and was lodged in a Dhaka jail since last year February.
The court has barred Zia from contesting from any general elections in Bangladesh.