Court Correspondent
A Dhaka court on Sunday issued arrest warrant against BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in a defamation case filed for calling Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman “Pakbandhu” (Friend of Pakistan) at a discussion in East London.Magistrate Lutfor Rahman Shisir of the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka took cognizance of the charge sheet and passed the order.
Complaint Advocate Mashiur Malek stated that Tarique had made derogatory remarks about Bangladesh’s founding president and father of the nation in East London on September 29, last year. “Sheikh Mujibur Rahman cannot be the Father of the Nation. He returned to the country with a Pakistani passport. Someone who accepts Pakistani passport even after Banglaeesh’s independence is a citizen of that country according to law,” the BNP leader on the occasion.
On October 19, last year, Moshiur Malek, President of Bangabandhu Foundation, lodged the case with the CMM Court. Later, on September 20 of this year, the Detective Branch (DB) submitted the charge sheet of the case to the court. After receiving the report the court fixed November 7 to hear on whether the charge sheet would be accepted or not.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s son Tarique has been staying in London since September 11, 2008 on medical grounds after securing bail from the court.
