A Dhaka court has issued a gazette ordering 'fugitives' Tarique Rahman, the BNP's acting chief, and his wife Zubaida Rahman, who are being tried for illegally amassing assets, to attend a hearing in the graft case scheduled for February 6.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman published the gazette on Monday after police failed to execute arrest warrants against the couple as they reside abroad, according to Aminul Islam, the Anti-Corruption Commission's court inspector, reports bdnews24.com.
The gazette notes that the court has 'reasonable grounds' to believe that Tarique and Zubaida are 'in hiding' to avoid arrest and prosecution. As the couple has been ordered to attend the next hearing, the proceedings will go ahead in their absence should they fail to appear before the court.
In November, the court issued arrest warrants for Tarique and Zubaida, but to no avail. Later in January, it ordered the confiscation of their assets on Jan 5.
After the police reported their failure to trace the couple's assets, however, the court ordered the BG Press to issue a gazette in order to secure their attendance at the next hearing in the case.
The ACC filed the case at Dhaka’s Kafrul Police Station in 2007, accusing the couple of owning Tk 48.15 million beyond known sources of income, hiding information on assets and acquiring assets beyond means.
Tarique has been living in London since 2008. He and Zubaida were named as fugitives in the case as they reside abroad
Tarique's mother-in-law Iqbal Mand Banu was named as the third suspect in the case. Her name was later dropped from the case following her death.
Zubaida, the daughter of former navy chief Rear Admiral Mahbub Ali Khan, married Tarique, son of late military ruler Ziaur Rahman and Khaleda, in 1993. Zubaida joined the government health service two years later.
Tarique was arrested during the 2007-08 military-backed caretaker rule. After his release in 2008, he left Bangladesh for the UK with Zubaida and their daughter.
The government sacked Zubaida in 2014 as she did not rejoin her workplace after taking a leave.
BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia was jailed in two corruption cases in 2018. The 76-year-old former prime minister is currently out on suspended sentences.
Tarique has been the acting chairman of the party since Khaleda's incarceration in 2018. He has already received different jail sentences in four cases, involving charges of making derogatory remarks about Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, money laundering, corruption and the Aug 21 grenade attack.