Dhaka: A Dhaka court on Tuesday asked BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia to appear before it on 1 December in connection with a sedition case for her remarks about the number of martyrs during the War of Liberation in 1971.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of Metropolitan Sessions Judge’s Court issued the order after hearing a time petition filed by Khaleda’s lawyer Sanaullah Miah.

Earlier on 25 January, Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi filed the case against the BNP chief.

On 21 December last, Khaleda Zia at a discussion at the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh raised questions about the number of Liberation War martyrs.

‘There’re controversies over how many were martyred in the Liberation War. There’re also many books and documents on the controversies,’ she said.

Khaleda Zia’s remarks triggered widespread criticism.

On 21 January, the home ministry approved filing of a sedition case against BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia for her derogatory remarks about martyrs.