The verdict on the appeal filed by Dr. Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP Acting Chairman Tarique Rahman, against her three-year prison sentence in a case concerning the acquisition of assets beyond known sources of income, will be announced today.
Justice Md. Khosruzzaman's single bench of the High Court will pronounce the verdict today, Wednesday (May 28).
Appeal Hearing Concluded
Earlier, the hearing on the appeal concluded. After hearing arguments from both the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the defense, the same High Court bench on Monday (May 26) set today for the verdict announcement.
On that day, Senior Advocate S. M. Shahjahan, Barrister Kayser Kamal, and Zakir Hossain Bhuiyan argued on behalf of the appeal.
Advocates Roknuzzaman Suja and Md. Maksudur Ullah, among other lawyers, were also present. Advocate Asif Hasan represented the ACC.
Previously, on May 21, the High Court set May 22 for the hearing of Dr. Zubaida Rahman's appeal. After hearing on that day, the court set May 26 at 2 PM for further hearing, which proceeded as scheduled.
Case Background
On September 26, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case at Kafrul Police Station in Dhaka against Tarique Rahman, Dr. Zubaida Rahman, and one other person, alleging concealment of wealth information and acquisition of assets beyond known sources of income.
A charge sheet was submitted against them the following year. On August 2, 2023, the Senior Special Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan delivered a verdict in the case, sentencing Tarique Rahman to nine years imprisonment (six and three years, to run concurrently) under two sections, and Dr. Zubaida Rahman to three years imprisonment and a fine.
On November 4 last year, the Security Services Division of the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a gazette notification suspending Zubaida Rahman's sentence.
The notification stated that based on Zubaida Rahman's application seeking a stay of execution of her sentence and the opinion of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, her sentence in the case against her was suspended for one year.
Dr. Zubaida Rahman returned to Bangladesh from the UK on May 6 with former Prime Minister and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia. She had left Bangladesh for London with Tarique Rahman on September 11, 2008.
Upon her return, Zubaida Rahman filed an application with the High Court seeking condonation for a 587-day delay in filing the appeal, which the High Court granted on May 13.
After the condonation application was approved, she filed the appeal and a bail application. After a hearing, the High Court accepted the appeal for hearing and granted her bail on May 14.
Following the hearing on this appeal, the court set May 28 for the verdict.
