DHAKA: A Dhaka court on Sunday (September 17) asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to surrender before it on October 5 in a case filed over undermining the country’s map and the national flag.

The BNP chief will face arrest warrant if she fails to appear before the court on that day.

Metropolitan Magistrate Nur Nabi issued the order following a petition filed by the plaintiff of the case AB Siddique, president of Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organization.

AB Siddique submitted his petition on September 13 seeking an arrest warrant for Khaleda Zia for her failure to comply with its order. The court on that day set September 17 (Sunday) for passing order.

Earlier on March 22, the court summoned Khaleda Zia asking her to appear before it on June 11. But the BNP chairperson didn't appear before the court on that day.

AB Siddique on November 3 last year filed the case with the court accusing the BNP chief and her late husband former president Ziaur Rahman of undermining Bangladesh's map and the national flag.

After holding a hearing, the court had directed the OC of Tejgaon Police Station to investigate the matter.

OC (investigation) Moshiur Rahman of the police station submitted the report to the court on February 25. The police, however, dropped Ziaur Rahman’s name from the case as he is dead.

In the complaint, it was alleged that Ziaur Rahman had taken over as the country's president after the killing of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman along with most of his family members on August 15 in1975. He also threatened Sheikh Hasina and confined her after she had arrived in the country from abroad on May 17 in 1981.

Khaleda Zia had formed a coalition government with Jamaat-e-Islami in 2001. She appointed ministers from the party and handed over the map and the national flag to them who were against the Liberation War of the country, the complaint reads.

The move was tantamount to undermining Bangladesh's map and the national flag, the complainant alleged.

BDST: 1815 HRS, SEP 17, 2017  
EHJ/EHJ