Khaleda has three birthdays: 6 agencies in reports to HC
The High Court will now decide the real birthday of the former prime minister
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia has three different dates of birth, say six government agencies in their reports submitted to the High Court.
According to the Police Headquarters' documents submitted to the High Court on Tuesday, the date of birth of the BNP leader is 15 August 1946. The same information was found in the report of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
However, the Special Branch of Police (SB) says that Khaleda Zia's birthday is 5 September 1946. According to the school attendance register, the same date is available in the documents of the Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education.
But the health ministry report has provided different information. According to the ministry, the birthday of the BNP leader is 8 May 1946. The legal cell of the police has also given the same information.
The High Court will now decide the real birthday of the former prime minister.
The High Court is due to hold a hearing on the matter on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, a bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman fixed the date.
Upon a writ petition, the High Court on 13 June directed the government authorities to submit documents related to Khaleda Zia's birthday with the court within 60 days.
At the same time, the court issued a rule asking why the inaction of the authorities to stop celebrating Khaleda Zia's birthday on 15 August would not be declared illegal.
The instructions were given to the director general of the passport department, the director general of the health directorate, the Election Commission secretary, the foreign secretary and all the boards of education.
At the court, Advocate Nahid Sultana Juthi stood for the petition while deputy attorneys general Arbindu Kumar Roy and Bipul Bagmar represented the state.
Supreme Court lawyer Mamun Ar Rashid filed the writ petition with the court.
The petition has sought directions to submit all types of certificates of Khaleda Zia – in which her birthday has been used – to the court.
Instructions were also sought to specify a single birthday.
In the writ petition, the home secretary, the health secretary, the inspector general of police (IGP), the DMP commissioner, the officer-in-charge of the Gulshan Police Station, and Khaleda Zia have been made respondents.
