Arrest warrant issued against Tarique Rahman's mother-in-law

A Dhaka court on Wednesday issued an arrest warrant for Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu, mother-in-law of BNP Senior Vice-Chairman Tarique Rahman, in a graft case filed against her for not submitting wealth statements as requested by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Dhaka Metropolitan Session Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah issued the warrant after taking the charges into cognisance. The charge sheet was filed by ACC Deputy Director Abdus Sattar Sarker, who is also the investigation officer for the case, on January 19, 2016. The arrest warrant was issued as Syeda Iqbal failed to appear in court at the scheduled hearing on the day. The court also ordered the officer-in-charge of Ramna police station to submit a report on her arrest by May 14. According to the charge sheet, the ACC issued a notice to Syeda Iqbal which was received by her caretaker Zakir Hossain on January 25, 2012, asking her to submit a statement of her moveable and immoveable assets within seven workdays. On January 30 in 2012, the High Court stayed ACC's notice for four months. The Supreme Court lifted the stay on May 3, 2012, leaving the ACC free to investigate. On January 30, 2014, ACC Deputy Director RK Majumdar filed the case with Ramna police as Syeda had still not submitted her wealth statement.