Dhaka: Two courts here on Thursday fixed July 5 to pass their orders on the bail petitions of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in two cases—one filed for celebrating ‘fake’ birthday and another for undermining the country’s map, the national flag and the Liberation War.

Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Khurshid Alam set the date in the case filed for celebrating ‘fake’ birthday while Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ahsan Habib fixed the date in another case after hearing separate bail petitions filed by Khaleda’s lawyer Sanaullah Miah.

On November 17, 2016, a court here issued a warrant for the arrest of the BNP Chairperson in a case filed against her for celebrating ‘fake’ birthday on the National Mourning Day on August 15.

Former joint general secretary of Dhaka Union of Journalists (DUJ) Gazi Zahirul Islam filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s court accusing Khaleda of provoking people by celebrating her ‘false’ birthday on August 15. The case was filed under sections 198 and 469 of the Code of Criminal Procedures (CrPC).

In his complaint, Jahirul Islam said Khaleda’s date of birth was mentioned as August 15, 1946 in her latest passport while August 9, 1944 in her marriage registration and September 5, 1946, in her (unsuccessful) SSC mark sheet.

On November 3, 2016, President of Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, AB Siddique, filed the other case with a court accusing Khaleda of undermining the country’s map, the national flag and the Liberation War.