Tariq Rahman is still the accused in 117 cases
During the long period of Sheikh Hasina’s government, there have been cases one after another in different parts of the country, including the capital Dhaka, in the name of Tariq Rahman, acting chairman of BNP. According to the information received, the number of cases against him is at least 87.
According to BNP, most of these cases were fueled by the government party. In a word, with the nefarious purpose of suppressing the main opposition party for political purposes. At that time, Tariq Rahman was sentenced in four cases and the judgment was announced. After Hasina’s government was ousted on August 5, the interim government was formed on August 8.
After the new government came to power, the cases against the leaders, organizers, journalists and dissidents who were prosecuted during the Awami League government are being disposed of quickly. Many have been released, many have had their sentences revoked. But no such initiative is visible regarding the cases against Tariq Rahman. Recently four cases were quashed by the High Court.
Apart from this, there is no visible step in settling or withdrawing the rest of the cases. This may delay Tariq Rahman’s return to the country. Because of this, anger and anxiety are spreading day by day among the leaders and activists of BNP and like-minded political parties. According to them, it has become necessary to return Tariq Rahman from the United Kingdom to the country in order to return the country to the democratic system. BNP leaders and supporters are also waiting for that.
The lawyers of the Acting Chairman of BNP said that he will deal with the false case against Tariq Rahman legally. Their hope is that Tariq Rahman will return to the country soon after dealing with all the cases. Meanwhile, jurists say, under the provisions of sub-section 1 of Section 401 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898, the government can exercise the power to suspend or remit any person. There is an opportunity to apply it in the case of Tariq Rahman as well.
When asked what BNP is doing to overcome the legal obstacles of Tariq Rahman’s return to the country, the party’s legal affairs secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal told our time that Tariq Rahman respects the law, the constitution, CRPC and the courts. Therefore, he will return to the country in due course after dealing with all the cases legally. This lawyer also said that he wants the case against him to be withdrawn after withdrawing thousands of false and harassing cases against BNP leaders and workers.
Barrister Kaiser Kamal said Tariq Rahman’s name was not in the statement of the case made during the One Eleven government. He was shown Shaun Arrest. Those cases are being withdrawn. Apart from this, false and defamation cases were filed against him in many districts of the country. Many of the plaintiffs in these cases have died, some are withdrawing. Again the court is dismissing. In total, there are 80 to 82 cases against Tariq Rahman, he said.
After the caretaker government took over on January 11, 2007, Tariq Rahman was arrested on March 7 that year. After that at least 15 cases were registered against him. Tariq Rahman was released on bail on September 3, 2008. A week later, on September 11, he went to London with his wife and daughter. He has been staying there ever since.
Around 20 cases were registered against Tariq Rahman during the caretaker government in 2007-08. After the formation of the Awami League government in 2009, the number of cases continued to increase. BNP lawyers could not say the exact number of cases against Tariq Rahman.
BNP lawyers said that since the cases are politically motivated, the government can exempt him from the case if it wishes. There is no obstacle for Tariq Rahman to return to the country if he is released.
In this regard, BNP’s co-law secretary, Advocate Syed Zainul Abedin Mejbah said, “There are hundreds of cases against our leader Tarek Rahman.” All are political conspiracies.
He said that the current interim government has ordered the suspension under the provisions of sub-section 1 of section 401 of the Criminal Procedure Code of 1998. The same law can and should suspend the four cases of our leader Tariq Rahman. So we are expecting that soon the government will suspend Tariq Rahman’s death and allow him to return to the country.
Meanwhile, Tarek’s wife Zobaida Rahman’s case in the case of illegal acquisition of wealth was recently suspended by the government on its own. Similarly, there is a possibility of suspension of Tariq Rahman.
Syed Zainul Abedin Mejbah said, if Tariq Rahman’s four cases are suspended, he will not have to go to jail.
According to a source, BNP is in discussions with the interim government regarding the cancellation of Tariq Rahman’s sentences by executive order. Meanwhile, there are complications with the renewal of Tariq Rahman’s passport. In this context, Barrister Kaiser Kamal said that the Sheikh Hasina government did not allow the renewal of Tarek Rahman’s passport. Now I think that there will not be that complication.
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Credit: Dainikamadersomoy
