BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah has been arrested from his Dhaka residence on Tuesday evening after a Dhaka court sentenced him to three years imprisonment for amassing illegal wealth.
The senior political figure was apprehended at 6:30pm, confirmed DMP Detective Branch (DB) Additional Deputy Commissioner Shahjahan Shaju.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia's press wing officer Shairul Kabir Khan also confirmed the matter.
Earlier on Tuesday, a Dhaka court awarded BNP Standing Committee member Barrister Rafiqul Islam Miah three years imprisonment in a case filed for not submitting a wealth statement report.
Judge Sheikh Golam Mahbub, of Dhaka Special Judges Court 6, passed the order yesterday, rejecting a time extension petition filed by Rafiqul’s counsel Golam Mostafa Khan.
Barrister Rafiqul, who did not appear before the court, was also fined Tk50,000 and sentenced to another three months imprisonment by default. A conviction warrant was also issued against him for absconding during the trial.
Advocate Mosharraf Hossain Kajol represented the state in the case.
According to case documents, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) sent a notice to Rafiqul Islam Miah on April 7, 2001, accusing him of amassing illegal wealth. The BNP leader accepted the notice, but did not respond within the 45-day deadline.
Later, on January 15, 2004, ACC official Liakat Hossain filed a case accusing Rafiqul with the Uttara police station in Dhaka.
On September 15, 2004, the ACC filed a graft case against Rafiqul, submitting a charge sheet on November 30 of the same year.
Taking the charge sheet into cognizance, the court began conducting the trial against the BNP leader on November 11, 2017.
A total of six prosecution witnesses testified before the court on different dates during the trial proceedings.
