Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia's son Tarique Rahman has sought political asylum in UK
DHAKA: The "fugitive" son of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, Tarique Rahman has "temporarily" sought political asylum in the UK, his Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) said today, triggering a political uproar in the country.
Refuting junior foreign minister Shahriar Alam's claim that the BNP acting chief has abandoned his Bangladeshi citizenship, party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said "he has temporarily sought asylum in London".
Alam had yesterday alleged that Rahman, 53, along with his wife and daughter, has handed over the passports to the British Home Office four years ago, and the surrendered travel documents were with the Bangladesh authorities at the country's mission in London.
"He (Rahman) has temporarily sought political asylum like political leaders and anti-government eminent persons of other countries," Alamgir told a reporters at a media briefing here.
The BNP secretary general also said that statements by the government and the ruling Awami League "clearly indicate that Rahman's life is at stake in Bangladesh, (and) under these circumstances, he has temporarily sought political asylum."
"In line with the normal procedure, he (Rahman) submitted the passport to the UK Home Office. As per its law, the country has given him travel permission after taking his passport," he said.
The junior minister had shared with media purported photocopies of the UK Home Office letter, addressed to the Bangladesh mission that read "Please find enclosed a passport for your retention", and the BNP leader's passport.
"Tarique could have submitted his passport to Bangladesh High Commission in London for renewal or extension of validity. But, he submitted it to British Home Office...what does it mean? As a political person, I think it's a refusal of nationality," Alam had said.
The minister had called the press conference at his residence hours after Rahman served him with a legal notice, two days after Alam had claimed at a community reception in London that the acting BNP chief has abandoned his citizenship.
The notice demanded "proof" of Alam's comments or his "unconditional apology".
Rahman also sent similar notice to editors of two Bangladeshi newspapers, demanding unconditional apology for publishing the junior minister's remarks. Alam had also posted the copy of the British Home Office letter regarding Rahman's passport transfer on his Facebook profile.
In his latest comments, today he wrote "My Facebook went through torture the whole night. Hacking. Post disappeared. You can understand who has invested in it."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, at community reception at London earlier this week, had said that "fugitive convict" Rahman must face justice for the crimes he had committed, while her government was in talks with UK authorities for his extradition.
Rahman jailed during the military-backed interim government. He was allowed to go to London for medical treatment on a Supreme Court order in 2007. He living in London since then.
He was convicted and sentenced to seven years in jail in 2016 by a high court in a money laundering case and also slapped a fine of Taka 200 million.
He has also been declared absconder by a trial court in a case related to deadly grenade attack on a rally by the then opposition and now ruling Awami League at Bangabandhu Avenue on August 21, 2004, which left 24 people dead and more than 300 others injured.
He is also wanted in a number of criminal and graft cases, and also declared him as "fugitive".
Bangladesh had sought his extradition, but British authorities have so far declined to make any public statement on the issue calling it a "personal matter of an individual".
He became BNP's senior vice president in February, and its acting chairperson after a court sentenced his mother and party chairperson Khaleda Zia to five-year in jail in a corruption case.