A Bangladesh court on August 2 sentenced "fugitive" acting chairman of the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Tarique Rahman to nine years in jail and his wife to three years for accumulating wealth beyond their declared income.
"The court found them guilty of amassing illegal wealth and concealing information of the wealth," Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman ruled after the couple's trial in absentia.
Rahman, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, was also fined Taka 3 crore. The 55-year-old leader will have to serve an additional three months if he fails to pay.
Rahman's wife Zubaida was sentenced to three years in jail on two charges while being fined Tk 45 lakhs. If she fails to pay the fine, she will serve one more month in jail.
Both Rahman and Zubaida are living in London since 2008.
According to Tuesday's exchange rate, 1 USD equals Taka 109.
Extra police contingents with riot gear enforced a tight security vigil in and around the court complex in the old part of Dhaka where pro-BNP lawyers staged demonstrations chanting anti-government slogans.
BNP activists staged a protest march along their Naya Paltan office in central Dhaka. They also announced a protest rally on Friday in front of the party office.
Earlier, the court declared the couple “fugitive” as they failed to appear to face the trial in person. They were defended by state-appointed lawyers as under the law they lost the opportunity to appoint counsels of their choice to defend them.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the case against the couple in 2007 when a military-backed caretaker government was running the country.
Rahman was charged with earning wealth over Tk 4.82 crore illegally and concealing information about properties worth over Tk 4.23 crore in his wealth statement demanded by the graft body.
Zubaida, a professional doctor, was accused of abetting her husband in establishing that the money was earned through legal means.
This was the first court case against Zubaida, who previously served in the government’s health service until her dismissal over a decade ago for unauthorised “absence” and overseas stay.
Rahman was earlier sentenced to a life term in connection with a 2004 grenade attack on a rally of the then opposition Awami League of incumbent Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and sentenced to different prison terms in three other cases.
Wednesday’s judgment came when political tensions are high in Bangladesh ahead of the upcoming general elections later this year. Opposition BNP is demanding a caretaker government to conduct polls claiming the voting would be rigged under Ms. Hasina’s premiership.
The ruling Awami League, which has been in power since 2008, has declined to accept the opposition demand calling it “unconstitutional”.
Both parties have staged a series of street demonstrations in recent weeks in their efforts to show strength and last week they held grand rallies drawing tens of thousands of activists to the capital Dhaka simultaneously on July 29.
Khaleda Zia, a two-time premier, has been debarred from taking part in political activities as she has been convicted and sentenced to 17 years in jail on graft charges.
