Court Correspondent : The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court of Dhaka court on Wednesday issued arrest warrant against 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, as Tarique Rahman was absent from the court. BNP Chief Khaleda Zia’s eldest son Tarique has beenliving 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 in the court on Wednesday in a defamation case filed by Monir Khan, an Assistant Secretary of a sub-committee of the central Awami League.The court also instructed police to submit a progress report on the arrest order by January 29.The case referred to Tarique Rahman’s November 7 speech at a function in London, where he had said that 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 claimed 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 other courts of Dhaka, Jessore and Sherpur for his statement.Several corruption cases were lodged against Tarique Rahman after he was arrested on March 7, 2007, during the state of emergency. In September of the following year, Tarique 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.
