State Minister Shahriar Alam defends comments on Tarique Rahman’s passport handover

The UK Home Office has transferred Tarique Rahman and his family’s passports to the Bangladesh High Commission in London, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam said.

Alam shared copies of the UK Home Office letter and the BNP leader's passport with the media to back up his claim.

“As a politician I would say Tarique Rahman gave up his Bangladesh citizenship,” Alam told reporters in Dhaka, responding to a legal notice served by Rahman’s lawyer Kayser Kamal.

“The BNP has never clarified the legal status of Tarique Rahman’s stay in London. Medical treatment is an excuse for him to stay there.”

Tarique Rahman sent his, his wife Zubaida Rahman and daughter Zaima Zarnaz Rahman’s passports to the Bangladesh High Commission in London on June 2 through the UK Home Office.   

“If someone has any question even after this, especially if someone from the BNP wants to see (the documents) at our high commission, we will arrange the travel,” he said.

 

Alam’s comments on the acting BNP chief at a programme in London on Saturday drew criticism from the party.

At the same event, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said Tarique Rahman would be brought home to face his sentence through ‘whatever means necessary’.

The comments by Alam were also reported by some media outlets.

Alam questioned Rahman’s new assignment as BNP’s acting chairman as he relinquished his Bangladeshi citizenship by submitting his “green Bangladeshi passport” to the High Commission, according to The Daily Kaler Kantho. The editor of the newspaper now faces a legal notice from Rahman’s lawyer for the report.

On Monday, BNP Senior Joint Secretary General Ruhul Kabir Rizvi said the state minister ‘lied’ about Tarique Rahman.

He asked the government to show Rahman’s passport if they had it. The BNP leader also threatened legal action against Alam for the comments.

Later, BNP Legal Affairs Secretary Kayser Kamal served a legal notice on the state minister, asking him to withdraw the comments within 10 days or face a lawsuit.

“I’ve heard about the legal notice. I feel good as they have put faith in the judiciary of Bangladesh. They always speak about distrust (in the judiciary),” Alam told reporters.

“It’s very interesting to know how a convicted criminal sends a legal notice even after valid documents have been presented. We will definitely face the case if they want to start any.”

The ruling Awami League also called a press conference after Rizvi reacted to Alam’s comments, asking Rahman to show his passport.

Acting General Secretary Abu Sayeed Al Mahmood Swapon said, “If Tarique Rahman has any Bangladeshi passport, let him show it first.” 

Rahman had renewed his passport once after he left Bangladesh and now he has ‘surrendered that passport’, Swapon said.  

“We will welcome their comments if they can show us any application seeking renewal of Tarique Rahman’s passport at the Bangladesh High Commission. Everyone knows what status he is using in Britain,” he added.     

Tarique Rahman. File Photo

Rahman, the elder son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, was arrested during the military-controlled caretaker government. He went to London after receiving bail in 2008 and has been there with his wife and daughter since.

Two years ago, the High Court sentenced him to seven years in prison over a money laundering case. He was also sentenced to 10 years in prison in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case on Feb 8.

Khaleda has been in prison since the verdict in the case was delivered. The BNP appointed Rahman as acting chairman since his mother’s imprisonment and has been following his instructions from London.