The High Court today directed its registrar to issue a notice asking BNP leader Tarique Rahman, now in London, to surrender before the trial court in a money laundering case.

It also asked the registrar to publish advertisements in at least two widely circulated English and Bangla dailies about its admitting the appeal filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) against his acquittal in the case.

The HC bench of justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Amir Hossain fixed February 14 for passing further orders in this regard. 

ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan told The Daily Star that the HC passed the order for issuing notice and publishing advertisement Tarique Rahman could not be reached, because he is in abroad.

Earlier on January 3, the ACC moved to the HC for a ruling against Tarique's acquittal in a money laundering case involving Tk 20.41 crore.

The anti-graft watchdog filed the case against Tarique and his friend and business partner Giasuddin Al Mamun in October 2009 for siphoning off the money to Singapore between 2003 and 2007.

On November 17, 2013, a Dhaka court acquitted Tarique and sentenced Mamun to seven years' imprisonment and fined him Tk 40 crore in the case.

On December 5 that year, the ACC appealed to the HC, challenging Tarique's acquittal.

Following the appeal, the HC on January 19 in 2014 asked the lower court to send the case records to it and ordered Tarique to surrender before the trial court in the case.

The HC, however, asked the trial court to grant him bail after his surrender.

The money laundering case is one of the 16 cases, including the August 21 grenade attack cases, filed against Tarique. He was arrested on March 7 in 2007 during a crackdown by a military-backed caretaker government.

After securing parole, Tarique went to London in September 2008 for treatment and has been living there ever since.

Following an appeal filed by Mamun, the HC on April 29 in 2014 stayed his fine of Tk 40 crore in the money laundering case.