Dhaka: The High Court on Wednesday stayed for six months the proceedings of a sedition case filed against Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Chairperson Khaleda Zia for her remarks about the number of martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War.

An HC bench of Justice Md Miftah Uddin Choudhury and Justice ANM Bashir Ullah passed the order following a petition filed by the BNP chief.

The HC also issued a rule asking the government to explain as to why the taking of cognisance of charges at trial court against her should not be declared illegal and cancelled.

The writ is returnable in four weeks.

Former Attorney General AJ Mohammad Ali and Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon stood for Khaleda while deputy attorney general Sheikh AKM Moniruzzaman Kabir represented the state.

Khokon said the case should not continue as the BNP chairperson’s remarks about the number of martyrs of the 1971 Liberation War do not amount to treason. Besides, the case was filed by a person, not the state. “That’s why the HC stayed the case proceedings for six months and issued a rule in this regard.”

Earlier on January 10, BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia filed the petition with the High Court seeking cancellation of a lower court order taking cognisance of charges in a sedition case filed against her.

On December 21, 2015, 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 had said.

Khaleda Zia’s remarks triggered widespread criticism.

Supreme Court lawyer Momtaz Uddin Ahmed Mehedi, also the former member of Awami League central committee, sent a legal notice to the BNP chairperson on December 23 of the year.

As the BNP chief did not reply to the legal notice, Momtaz filed an appeal with the Home Ministry seeking its permission to file a sedition case against Khaleda.

On January 21, 2016, the ministry permitted Momtaz to file the sedition case and subsequently the lawyer filed the case with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court of Dhaka on January 25.

The court took cognisance of the complaint on the same day and summoned Khaleda to appear before the court. However, Khaleda secured bail in the case later.

On August 10 last, the trial court took cognisance of a charge-sheet in the case.