<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BNP Chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia was acquitted in five defamation cases lodged against her in various charges today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Begum Zia's lawyer Masud Ahmed Talukder confirmed the matter to newsmen saying that, “The court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate&nbsp; Mahbubul Haque ordered to acquit her in four cases. Also, she was acquitted in another defamation case in the court of Dhaka Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Tofazzal Hossain&nbsp; this morning.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Today was scheduled for hearing the charges against her in these cases. As the plaintiffs were absent and&nbsp; we filed an application for acquittal. The court granted the application and acquitted Khaleda Zia from these cases," he added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Late AB Siddiqui, former president of an organization called 'Jananetri Parishad', filed multiple defamation cases&nbsp; against Begum Zia.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Plaintiffs of other cases, however, did not appear in the court, and so the defendant’s lawyer pleaded for acquittal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbnd24/kh</div>