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Bangladesh Nationalist Party–BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia on Tuesday (Sep 3) acquitted in five defamation cases lodged against her in various charges. Khaleda Zia's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder confirmed the matter to media saying that, “The court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Mahbubul Haque ordered to acquit her in four cases. Also, she was acquitted in another defamation case in the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain in the morning.”
"Today (Sep 3) was scheduled for hearing the charges against her in these cases. As the plaintiffs were absent and we filed an application for acquittal. The court granted the application and acquitted Khaleda Zia from these cases," he added.
Late AB Siddiqui, former president of an organization called 'Jananetri Parishad', filed multiple defamation cases against Begum Khaleda Zia.
Plaintiffs of other cases, however, did not appear in the court, and so the defendant’s lawyer pleaded for acquittal.