Case under ICT Act against Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman dismissed
The case, originally filed in 2016, followed a Facebook post by Irad Ahmed Siddiqui, son of former BNP leader Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui
The High Court today (13 November) dismissed a case filed under Section 57 of the Information and Communication Technology Act, 2006 (amended in 2013) against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and the party's Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman.
The case, originally filed in 2016, followed a Facebook post by Irad Ahmed Siddiqui, son of former BNP leader Chowdhury Tanvir Ahmed Siddiqui.
The post allegedly contained threats against then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina and displayed disrespect towards Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
A High Court bench consisting of Justice AKM Asaduzzaman and Justice Syed Enayetur Rahim issued the order to dismiss the case upon an appeal by Irad Ahmed Siddiqui, one of the accused.
The petitioner was represented by lawyer Ishtiaq Ahmed.
In 2016, a Facebook page bearing the name of Irad Ahmed Siddiqui published a post threatening to kill Sheikh Hasina and shared satirical images of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Following this, Abdul Kader Sujan, information and research secretary of Chattogram South District Awami League, filed a complaint in the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate ASM Shahidullah Kaiser in Chattogram under Section 57 of the ICT Act, 2006 (amended in 2013).
The court accepted the complaint and directed the officer-in-charge of Boalkhali Police Station to investigate.
Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman, and Irad Ahmed Siddiqui were subsequently named as accused. Irad Ahmed Siddiqui later appealed to the High Court for the dismissal of the case.