The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka court on Wednesday issued arrest warrant for Senior BNP Vice Chairman Tarique Rahman in a defamation case for saying Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘Pakbandhu’, friend of Pakistan.
Magistrate Ataul Haque of the court issued the arrest warrant, Tareque Rahman was absent from the court on Wednesday.BNP Chief Khaleda Zia’s elder son Tarique has been living in London since 2008 after his release from the jail custody. On Nov 17, this year, the CMM Court instructed the BNP Senior Vice Chairman to appear to the court on Wednesday in a defamation case filed by Monir Khan, an Assistant Secretary of a subcommittee of the central Awami League.
The also instructed police to submit a progress report on the arrest order by January 29.
The case refers to Tarique Rahman’s November 7 speech at a function in London, where he had said Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman returned to Bangladesh ‘with a Pakistani passport’ in 1972 and took office as the president, for which the charge of ‘treason’ should be brought against him.
In the case Monir Khan also claims that Tarique’s statement defamed Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League.
Several other cases, including accusations of treason, have been filed against Tarique in some courts of Dhaka, Jessore and Sherpur about his statement.
Several corruption cases were lodged against Tarique Rahman after he was arrested on Mar 7, 2007, during the state of emergency. – Court Correspondent
In September of the following year, Tareque secured bail from the Supreme Court and went to the UK for medical treatment. He has been in London ever since, and often attends BNP sponsored functions there.
