By Mizan Rahman
Dhaka
Police yesterday pressed sedition charges against Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson Khaleda Zia and party’s senior vice-chairman, for calling the country’s founding father Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman ‘Pakbandhu’ (friend of Pakistan).
Jewel Rana, an assistant commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, submitted the charge-sheet to the court of Metropolitan Magistrate Asaduzzaman Nur.
Incidentally, Khaleda Zia, now in London, is spending time with Tarique at his residence in the British capital.
Rana in his probe report mentioned that they have found truth of seditious allegations against the BNP leader.
Before submitting the charge-sheet, the investigation officer took approval from the home ministry which is mandatory for bringing sedition charges against any person.
The court will decide on November 7 whether the charges will be accepted or not.
On October 19 last year, Moshiur Rahman Malek, president of Bangabandhu Foundation, filed the lawsuit with the chief metropolitan magistrate’s court of Dhaka.
Following a hearing, the court asked police to submit a probe report on the issue after getting approval from the home ministry.
In his case statement, Moshiur alleged that Tarique called Sheikh Mujibur ‘Pakbandhu’ at a discussion in London.
“Sheikh Mujibur Rahman cannot be Father of the Nation. He returned to the country with a Pakistani passport. Someone who accepts Pakistani passport even after Bangladesh’s independence is a citizen of that country according to law,” Tarique made the remarks while addressing the discussion at York Hall in London on September 29 last year.
“One day it will have to be explained how a Pakistani citizen became a president or prime minister of Bangladesh,” the BNP leader warned.
Tarique, now living in London, faces over 18 criminal cases on different charges including August 21 grenade
attack.
Of the cases, trial of August grenade attack and Zia Orphanage Trust graft cases is going on in separate courts.
Tarique has got residency rights in Great Britain.