Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque's court issued acquittal in four cases while Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofajjal Hussain's court on Tuesday acquitted her in one case.

Dhaka: In a major development in Bangladesh politics at a time of uncertainty, former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia has been acquitted in five separate cases, including one for celebrating a “fake birthday” and another for supporting war criminals. News agency PTI.

Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque's court issued acquittal orders in four cases while Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofajjal Hussain's court acquitted her in one case on Tuesday, the Dhaka Tribune newspaper reported.

The defendant, 79-year-old Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairman Zia, was acquitted after the prosecution failed to appear in court. In August 2016, a journalist filed a case against Zia for celebrating a “fake birthday”.

The complaint alleges that although five different dates of birth of Jiah have been found through various means, none of them is on August 15. Despite this, she is celebrating her birthday on August 15 as a national day of mourning for the assassination of Bangabandhu Sheikh. Mujibur Rahman since 1996.

Cases against former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia

The complaint alleges that the BNP leader celebrates her birthday on this day to defame Bangabandhu and his family.

In November 2016, Bangladesh Jannetri Parishad president AB Siddiqui filed a case against Zia for allegedly supporting war criminals. In January 2017, Siddiqui filed a defamation case against Zia, accusing him of using abusive language against Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the Awami League.

The case mentions a speech Zia gave as the chief guest at the Chhatra Dal anniversary celebrations in December 2016, in which she allegedly said that Bangabandhu Rahman did not want independence for Bangladesh but wanted to become the prime minister of an undivided Pakistan. The complaint alleged that her statement was defamatory.

In January 2016, Siddiqui filed a case against Zia and BNP leader Gayeshwar Chandra Roy for making derogatory remarks about the victims of the Liberation War.

In November 2016, the BNP chairperson was accused in another case of defamation and death threats filed by Siddiqui. Zia had been under house arrest for the past five years and returned to her home from the hospital as a free person after a presidential pardon last month.

(with input from agencies)