HC decides on Khaleda, Howlader’s petitions today

Staff Correspondent: The High Court today will rule on whether BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and Jatiya Party leader ABM Ruhul Amin Howlader can run for the December 30 general election.

The bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Md Iqbal Kabir will pronounce the verdicts.

Khaleda, a former prime minister, on December 9 filed three separate writ petitions also seeking HC directives on the EC to accept the nomination papers so that she can run from Bogura-6, 7 and Feni-1.

In the petitions, she also prayed to the HC to issue a rule asking the EC why its decisions on her nomination papers should not be declared illegal.

On December 8, the Election Commission rejected her all three appeals against cancellation of her nomination papers by returning officers (ROs).

Khaleda landed in jail on February 8 after a special court in Dhaka sentenced her to five years' imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The HC later extended her jail term to 10 years.

On October 29, Khaleda was convicted and sentenced to seven years' rigorous imprisonment by the same court in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case.

risingbd/Dhaka/Dec 11, 2018/Mahadi/Mukul