The High Court (HC) today (October 31) dismissed two cases against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia and her son Tarique Rahman, filed on charges of sabotage and sedition during the Awami League government.

The bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain struck down a rule and canceled a sabotage case filed against Khaleda before the Darus Salam police during the time of the previous government.

Five senior lawyers, including lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon, represented Khaleda during the hearing.

Speaking to reporters, Mahbub said there was a stay order in this case since 2016 and the court had granted bail to Khaleda in this case. “The case was dismissed by today’s verdict.”

Yesterday (October 30), the HC dismissed 11 more sabotage and sedition cases against Khaleda, a two-time prime minister.

Meanwhile, the same bench of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayet Hossain today also dismissed a sedition case filed in 2015 against BNP acting president Tarique and three others.

The other three accused are Ekushey Television chairman Abdus Salam and journalists Mahathir Farooki and Kanak Sarwar. Lawyer Shahdeen Malik represented Salam during the hearing.

Barrister Mahbub said that the initiation of this case was illegal and that is why the HC dismissed it.

On January 5, 2015, Ekushey Television broadcast live a speech by Tarique.

The next day, the Tejgaon police sought permission from the Home Ministry to file a case against Tarique and Salam. On January 8, the then sub-inspector of Tejgaon police, Borhan Uddin, filed a sedition case against Tarique and the three others.

After a long legal battle, the HC issued a stay of proceedings order in the case in 2017. A hearing on the rule was held on Thursday and the case was dismissed after the hearing was concluded.