Bangladesh Nationalist Party's acting chairman Tarique Rahman was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment while his wife Zubaida Rahman three-year jail sentence in a graft case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in 2007.

Judge Md Asaduzzaman of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court delivered the judgment today (August 2) in their absence.

On July 27, the judge set the date for delivery of judgment after closing arguments from the prosecution in the case.

The court earlier recorded statements of 42 prosecution witnesses, including complainant of the case. On April 13, the same court framed charges against them.

Tarique and Zubaida have been in London since 2008.

This court on November 1 last year issued arrest warrants against the duo.

On June 26 last year, the HC declared Tarique and Zubaida "fugitives" and rejected their petitions challenging the filing of the graft case.

On September 26, 2007, 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.

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

BDST: 1631 HRS, AUG 2, 2023
MN/SMS