BNP demo today over Tarique's conviction

The BNP will stage demonstrations across the country today protesting conviction of its Senior Vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in a money laundering case.

Rizvi Ahmed, senior joint secretary general of BNP, announced the programme at a press conference at the party's Nayapaltan central office. He said BNP's front organisations will hold separate protest programmes from Monday.

"Tarique Rahman has been denied justice. The BNP will stage demonstrations in all cities and district headquarters on Saturday [today] protesting Tarique Rahman's conviction and punishment in a money-laundering case," Rizvi added.

The decision was made at a meeting of senior BNP leaders at the party chief's Gulshan office on Thursday night, with Chairperson Khaleda Zia in the chair, said meeting sources.

Khaleda and other leaders observed that Tarique has been convicted as part of a government plot to keep him away from the next national polls.

On Thursday, the High Court overturned a lower court verdict that acquitted Tarique in the case involving Tk 20.41 crore. It sentenced him to seven years' imprisonment and fined him Tk 20 crore.

This was the first time Tarique, elder son of Khaleda, has been convicted and handed down punishment by a court in one of the 19 cases filed against him since 2007.

Speaking at the press conference, BNP chairperson's adviser Khandker Mahbub Hossain said Tarique didn't get justice in the case.

The government punished Tarique with the motive of "politically harassing and maligning him", Mahbub, also a former president of Supreme Court Bar Association, told newsmen. 

Tarique has been convicted as he is a political leader, son of Ziaur Rahman and the BNP's future leader, he claimed.

Mahbub said the trial court had acquitted the BNP's senior vice-chairman based on evidence and statements of witnesses. The HC punished him in his absence and no lawyer could defend him, he mentioned.

Asked whether Tarique would move the SC with an appeal against the HC verdict, he said as per law a convict cannot file an appeal without appearing before the court. He, however, hoped the BNP leader would secure justice some day. 

According to law, it should be proved that the money has been laundered abroad. But the investigation officer of the case had said no money was laundered, claimed Mahbub.