Dhaka: An arrest warrant has been issued against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for her controversial remarks on the number of martyrs during the Liberation War of 1971 at a discussion in Dhaka on 21 December 2015.

A court in Narail issued the warrant against Khaleda on Tuesday.

The court of Senior Judicial Magistrate Jahidul Azad also directed authorities concerned to place Khaleda Zia before court by 30 October.

Khaleda did not appear before the court despite summons issued by the court against her on 25 July.

On 24 December 2015, Rayhan Faruki Imam of Chapail village in Naragati upazila of Narail filed the case with the court over Khaleda’s controversial comments about the number of martyrs during the Liberation War.

Addressing a discussion in Dhaka on 21 December last year, the BNP chairperson said there was a controversy over the actual number of martyrs during the country’s Liberation War.

She also indirectly targeted Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh, saying that he did not want Bangladesh’s independence and he rather wanted to become the prime minister of Pakistan. Her speech was published in several electronic and print media.