A Dhaka court yesterday issued warrant for arrest for BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman in a defamation case filed for terming Father of the Nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman “Pakbandhu” or “friend of Pakistan.”
Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Md Ataul Haque passed the order as Tarique, the elder son of former premier Khaleda Zia, did not appear before the court despite being summoned. It asked the police station concerned to submit an execution report on January 29.
On November 17, another magistrate court summoned Tarique to appear before it on December 10.
The court also sent a copy of the summons order to the BNP’s central office at Nayapaltan. It was later posted on the wall of the office on November 23 failing to find him at his address mentioned in the case statement.
Monir Khan, assistant secretary of the Awami League’s central sub-committee, filed the lawsuit against him for labelling Sheikh Mujib “Pakbandhu” at a discussion, arranged by the BNP, in East London on November 7.
Tarique said a sedition case should be lodged against Sheikh Mujib since he had taken oath as the president of independent Bangladesh as a Pakistani citizen.
The BNP’s second-in-command is facing several cases for making “derogatory” remarks about Bangabandhu, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the ruling Awami League recently.
Tarique has been in London since September 11, 2008 on medical grounds after securing parole in various corruption cases.