BNP’s Tarique Rahman sued under DSA

A case was filed against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman under the Digital Security Act for declaring late president Ziaur Rahman "the nation's father of Bangladeshi nationalism".

The case was filed on February 25 with Shahbagh Police Station by Zahidul Islam, deputy secretary of relief and disaster management of Bangladesh Chhatra League's Shahidullah Hall unit in Dhaka University.

Sazzadur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Ramna Division), revealed the development to The Daily Star yesterday.

According to the case statement, Tarique Rahman at a rally in London on the occasion of the 41st founding anniversary of the BNP, said, "Can we make a decision today that our leader Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman is the nation's father of Bangladeshi nationalism?"

The case statement also quoted Tarique as saying: "Our leader President Ziaur Rahman is not only the father of the Bangalee nation, he is also the father of the nation of all communities who carry the identity of Bangladeshi, including Bangalees and other communities living within the territory of the 55,126 square miles of Bangladesh.

"Can we all accept this proposal today? So, from today, it has been decided that President Ziaur Rahman is the nation's father of Bangladeshi nationalism," the case statement quoted Tarique as saying.

In footage The Daily Star found on YouTube of BNP's 41st founding anniversary in September 2019, Tarique Zia said the words quoted in the case statement.

The case statement also said Tarique Rahman gave a bizarre statement containing fabricated and false information with the intention of destabilising the current stable situation in Bangladesh.

"He has tried to distort history by spreading misleading information about the father of the nation," the case statement said.

"His deliberate distortion of history was made for the purpose of degrading law and order by creating confusion in the minds of people. He has been spreading untrue, fabricated and misleading propaganda about the father of the Bangalee nation through fabricated and baseless offensive information," the case statement said.

In the interest of maintaining law and order, it is necessary to take legal action against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his supporters for spreading rumours, added the statement.