World

Zia sued for hate comments on Hasina's home district

PTI

A supporter of ruling Awami league on Tuesday sued Bangladesh’s main Opposition BNP chief Khaleda Zia for making ‘hateful and defamatory’ remarks about the home district of her archrival Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

President of the pro-Awami league Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad AB Siddique filed a case with the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate court two days after an angry Zia said if returned to power, she would change the name of southwestern Gopalganj, Hasina’s hometown.

Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur, however, is expected to pass an order later on Tuesday if the Opposition leader should be charged for her comments on December 29 when police barred her from coming out of her residence as the opposition tried to stage their ‘march for democracy’ defying a Government ban.

Zia harshly rebuked policewomen outside her residence at the upmarket Gulshan area.

“listen to me, you the woman, where you hail fromIJ Are you a GopaliIJ (in an apparent reference to Hasina’s hometown Gopalganj),” she was heard saying even as the woman officer kept silent.

Meanwhile, the US ambassador called on parties to eschew violence and immediately find a way to hold free and fair polls, as the envoy met Zia amid continued political impasse.