Graft case against Tarique, Zubaida: 3 prosecution witnesses testify

Three more prosecution witnesses gave their statements before a Dhaka court today in a graft case filed against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman.

Judge Md Asaduzzaman of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court recorded their statements.

Meanwhile, a section of pro-BNP lawyers led by Masud Ahmed Talukder appeared before the court and protested the May 25 decision for fixing five consecutive days for recording statements.

When asked by the judge whether there was any bar to fixing five back-t0-back days to record statements, the lawyers replied in the negative.

The lawyers then left the court and held a rally in front of the Dhaka Bar Association. They also brought out a procession and chanted slogans for withdrawal of the case against the couple

The witnesses who testified today are: Imran Ahmed, principal officer of AB Bank's Elephant Road Branch; SM Musa Karim, senior vice-president; and Obaidur Rashid Khan, senior assistant vice-president of AB Bank's head office.In their statements, the witnesses told the court that they were posted at AB Bank's Karwan Bazar Branch during the time of investigation into the case. During that time, the investigation officer (IO) seized some documents relating to FDR of Zubaida from their office in their presence.

The couple has been shown fugitives in the charge sheet. No lawyers defended them in court today.

The court fixed tomorrow for next hearing of the case.

Earlier, three prosecution witnesses, including the complainant, gave their statements before the court on different dates.

On April 13, the court framed charges against Tarique and his wife. Before that, the court dismissed a lawyer's petition seeking permission to defend them.

Tarique and Zubaida have been in London since 2008.

Tarique is accused in 15 other cases, mostly filed during the caretaker government rule in 2007 and 2008, and Zubaida has been indicted only in one of these cases.

On September 26, 2007, the ACC filed the case with Kafrul Police Station against the two and Zubaida's mother Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu, on charges of amassing assets worth Tk 4.82 crore through illegal means and concealing the information of Tk 2.16 crore in their wealth statements.

After a probe, the investigation officer pressed charges against the three on March 31, 2009.

However, trial proceedings against Zubaida's mother were cancelled.