A court in Dhaka has ordered the arrested of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a 2014 libel suit, which accuses her of hurting religious sensitivities.
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Mohammad Jasim issued a warrant on Sunday (Jan 20) after police filed its investigation report, court clerk Rakibul Chowdhury said.
The police have been ordered by the court to file a report on the execution of the warrant on on Feb 18, he said.
In October 2014, AB Siddique, president of Bangladesh Jananetri Parishad, a pro-Awami League organisation, filed the case with the Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
After taking cognisance of the charges against Khaleda, the same court instructed police to investigate the case and submit a report on the issue.
In his complaint, Siddique alleged that Khaleda, at a programme on Oct 14 the same year, said: "Awami League doesn't believe in secularism but in atheism."
She said the ruling party's professed secularism was nothing but a sham.
The remarks have hurt the religious sensitivities of Muslims, the case alleges.