Tarique’s wife Zubaida fired from work

Tarique Rahman's wife Zubaida Rahman has been sacked from work by the health ministry for six years of absence.

Health Minister Mohammad Nasim told Parliament on Monday that the "law is the same for everyone" and Zubaida had been fired, in reply to an MP's query.

He was laughing as he broke the news and many MPs were seen applauding in reaction.

In September 2008 BNP Senior Vice Chairman Tarique went to the UK with his wife and daughter for treatment. They have been in London since.

Zubaida's leave ended on Oct 11, 2011 and since then she has applied several times to the ministry to get her leave extended.

The ministry rejected her last application.

Under service rules, a public servant has to be dismissed if they remain absent from work for over five years.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia’s daughter-in-law was dismissed under that rule, Nasim told Parliament.

She was last seen in public in July when she performed Umrah with Khaleda and her husband in Saudi Arabia.

Former Navy chief Mahbub Ali Khan's daughter Zubaida joined the BCS health cadre in 1995.

She was married to Tarique in 1993.