Staff Reporter :
Terming BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman as fugitives in a case corruption case the High Court on Sunday asked the trial court concerned to complete the proceedings of the case as early as possible.
No lawyer can appear in the court proceedings on behalf of them as they are declared fugitives. Tarique and Zubaida will have to surrender before the court if a lawyer is to be appointed to handle the case.
The HC bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice Kazi Md Ejarul Haque Akondo pronounced the verdict after hearing arguments on whether Tarique and Zubaida, who have been living in London since 2008, are fugitives in the case.
The High Court, however, rejected three separate writ petitions filed by the political couple challenging the legality of the corruption case against them on charge of earning around Tk 48.15 million from undisclosed sources and concealing information on the assets.
The HC also withdrew the stay order on the case and directed the lower court concerned to complete the trial proceedings in the case as early as possible.
Lawyers A J Mohammad Ali and Kayser Kamal appeared in the court hearing on behalf of Tarique Rahman and Zubaida Rahman, while Attorney General A M Amin Uddin and Deputy Attorney General A K M Amin Uddin Manik represented the state and lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan appeared for the ACC.
The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case on September 26, 2007, with Kafrul Police Station against Tarique Rahman, who is now in London, his wife Zubaida, and her mother Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu for amassing assets through illegal means and concealing information in their wealth statement.
Tarique faces charges of earning around Tk 48.15 million from undisclosed sources and concealing information on the assets. His wife and mother-in-law were sued for assisting him and concealing information.
The same year Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida filed three separate writ petitions with the High Court challenging the legality of the corruption filed against them. The High Court then stayed the proceedings of the case and issued rules on October 1 in 2007.
In the rules the High Court asked the state and the ACC to explain as to why the filing and initiation of the case under the then Emergency Power Rules should not be declared illegal. These rules came in the cause-list on April 19 in 2022.
On that day lawyer A J Mohammad Ali sought time from court to take preparation for the hearing on behalf of Tarique and Zubaida. Claiming Tarique as a fugitive the ACC lawyer on that day raised question if a lawyer can appear for a fugitive. On the next hearing day on June 5, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan claimed that Zubaida Rahman is also fugitive along with Tarique Rahman in the case.
After hearing on these issues the court on Sunday delivered the verdict.
