Tarique used his political clout as a shield to commit financial crime: High Court

The High Court, in reversing the acquittal of Tarique Rahman of money-laundering charge, has said the former prime minister’s son had committed the financial crime ‘consciously’ by using his political position as a ‘shield’.

In Thursday’s verdict, the court said the BNP senior vice-chairman had got his hand on the ‘dirty money in the name of consultation fee’ through his cohort Giasuddin-Al-Mamun, who has also been convicted in the same case. 

"It is to be noted with regret that Md Tarique Rahman...had acted as a conscious part of the financial crime.

“He being the mighty political elite by virtue of his position obtained dirty money in the name of 'consultation fee' through his close cohort and convict Giasuddin Al Mamun," the court observed.

File Photo

The bench of justices M Enayetur Rahim and Amir Hossain sentenced Tarique to seven years in jail and fined Tk 200 million after hearing an appeal by the Anti Corruption Commission.

In 2009, the ACC prosected BNP chief Khaleda Zia’s elder son and his business associate Mamun for siphoning off Tk 204.1 million to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

The trial court, however, found Mamun guilty and handed him a seven-year jail term. It had also fined him by Tk 400 million in 2013.

The High Court upheld Mamun’s sentence, but commuted the financial penalty to Tk 200 million.

The High Court judges in the latest verdict described such financial crime ‘using political influence’ as a threat to good governance, sustainable development and democratic process.

"Time has come to get this type of criminal activities carried out by using political favour and patronisation halted for the cause of wellbeing of the country and its development process.

“The trend of ill-gotten money by extending undue favour to an individual or a group, in exercise of political might must be stopped," the court said in its observation.

Khaleda was the prime minister when the money was laundered.

Tarique left the country for London in 2008 after he was granted bail following his arrest during the state of emergency in 2007.

Accused in at least a dozen cases, he has not returned to the country ever since.

He is widely believed to have run a government parallel to his mother’s 2001-6 corruption-tainted administration at Khaleda’s Hawa Bhaban political office.

Tarique Rahman with his mother Khaleda Zia. File Photo

He is seen as the successor to his mother, who was considered the most powerful politician in the country until the state of emergency.

In a reaction to the verdict, ACC lawyer Khaurshid Alam Khan said, “The most significant thing is that the High Court gave observation on financial crime that is money laundering.

“The court observed how the people are facing financial damage for the misuse of state powers,” he said.

Khan said the crime committed by Tarique and Mamun has been made possible thanks to the support from the ‘highest quarters of the State.’

“The verdict has proven that no-one is above law in the country,” he added.