Tarique Rahman acquitted in all cases; no bar to returning home
Staff Correspondent
A Dhaka court has acquitted BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, former State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar, and six others in a case involving bribery allegations linked to an attempt to secure impunity in a murder case.
Judge Md Abu Taher of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 pronounced the judgement on Thursday morning, defence counsels Borhan Uddin and Aminul Gani Titu said.
Following the verdict, BNP’s legal representatives said that there are no pending cases against Tarique Rahman and Babar in trial courts.
The case was filed with the city's Ramna Police Station in 2007, for allegedly exchanging bribes of Tk21 crore for dropping the name of Shafiat Sobhan Sanvir from the case lodged over the murder of the Bashundhara Group director Humayun Kabir Sabbir.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the charge sheet on 24 April 2008 against the eight including Tarique Rahman as the court on 14 July 2008, framed charges against them.
BNP’s lawyer Borhan Uddin told journalists that the ACC failed to present any evidence against the accused. As a result, with no cases pending, there are no legal barriers preventing Tarique Rahman from returning to the country and engaging in politics.
