United News of Bangladesh

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s wife Dr Zubaida Rahman has joined a global summit in Washington, DC, of the United States focusing on children’s welfare and development. The two-day “Fostering the Future Together: Global Coalition Summit” began on Tuesday, with first ladies and spouses of leaders from more than 40 countries taking part, according to BNP’s media cell. Dr Zubaida joined the summit at the invitation of US First Lady Melania Trump. The summit is a high-level platform for discussions on improving children’s wellbeing and future around the world. US First Lady Melania Trump formally opened the event at the US State Department and delivered the opening speech. Speaking at a working session, Dr Zubaida stressed the importance of ensuring care, safety and a supportive environment for children. She also highlighted Bangladesh’s initiatives, including family cards and farmers’ cards, as well as progress in education and healthcare. She called for stronger global cooperation to build an inclusive, tolerant and better future for children. Dr Zubaida is leading a four-member delegation that includes Dhaka University Professor Morshed Hasan Khan, orthopaedic surgeon Shah Muhammad Aman Ullah and Barrister Mehnaz Mannan. Alongside the summit, an exhibition featuring 11 leading US technology companies is being held, showcasing new tools and ideas to improve children’s education. Dr Zubaida visited the exhibition. She is also expected to attend the closing session at the White House on Wednesday, hosted by the US First Lady. Dr Zubaida left Dhaka on March 22 and reached the United States via London the next day.

A Dhaka court on Thursday asked the police to confiscate all assets of BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Dr Zubaida Rahman in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Asaduzzaman gave the order. The court also asked the Cantonment Police Station officer-in-charge (OC) to submit a progress report on the implementation of the order by January 19, the date for the next hearing of the case. On November 1, 2022, the same court issued arrest warrants against Tarique and Zubaida after accepting charges against them. It also asked the Cantonment Police Station OC to submit the progress report on the implementation of the arrest warrants by January 5. According to the case statement, the ACC filed the case at Kafrul Police Station on September 26, 2007, against Tarique, his wife, and mother-in-law Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu for amassing wealth of around Tk4.82 crore beyond their known sources of income and for concealing information on wealth. A charge sheet was submitted to the court against them in 2008.  Read more: Journalists criticise using photos of Khaleda, Tarique on ‘media card’ for covering BNP’s Rajshahi rally

The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court has said that the High Court violated the constitution in  hearing the case of the fugitive accused Dr Zubaida Rahman, wife of BNP senior vice chairman Tareq Rahman. A full text of the judgment given by the Appellate Division was published on Wednesday dismissing the leave to appeal filed by Zubaida  seeking dismissal of the case filed for acquiring assets from unknown sources.   The Appellate Division also declared Zubaida a fugitive. At the same time, the High Court gave extra benefits  to Zubaida violation of the constitution, reads the judgment. On April 13, a four-judge bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique dismissed the leave to appeal of Zubaida  and delivered a brief judgment. The judgment was written by Justice Borhanuddin. Appellate Division Justice Md Nuruzzaman and Justice M Enayetur Rahim and the Chief Justice agreed with the judgment. As per the judgement, the judicial court did not take cognizance of the charges against Zubaida  in the corruption case. “Where the charges were not taken into account, how did she apply for dismissal of the case under section 561A of Code of Criminal Procedure?” asked the Appellate Division. READ: HC defers Tarique-Zubaida’s hearing in corruption case And when she filed the appeal without surrendering before the court, she was a fugitive in the eyes of the law. But a bench of the High Court has issued a rule suspending the trial of the case after hearing the plea of a fugitive, said Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan. If a person or accused is a fugitive, he/she cannot file any writ, criminal case or any legal action except surrender. But the High Court has violated the law by giving more benefits to Zubaida Rahman, he added. The Appellate Division further said all citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law according to Article 27 of the Constitution. Judges of the Supreme Court of the country have taken an oath to conduct justice without fear or bias. In any case, the judiciary must adhere to this principle. The judiciary will not set a precedent that does not apply to everyone. ACC filed the case against Tarique, his wife Zubaida and her mother Syeda Iqbal Mand Banu accusing them of amassing illegal wealth and concealing information in wealth statements, with Kafrul police station on September 26, 2007. The accused later filed a petition challenging the legality of the case proceedings. Later in the same year, the High Court issued a rule suspending the proceedings on the application of Jobaida Rahman. On April 12 in 2018, the High Court gave its judgement dismissing the rule issued to dismiss the case. At the same time, Zubaida Rahman was ordered to surrender before the court within eight weeks. Zubaida then filed a leave to appeal in the Appellate Division against the judgment of the High Court. Lawyers say Zubaida, livimg in the UK, is a fugitive in the case and will now have to go to jail after surrendering. She will then be able to appeal for bail.