Hailing the High Court (HC) verdict against BNP senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman in the money laundering case, Awami League (AL) joint general secretary Mahbubul Alam Hanif has said the order has met the expectation of the people. “I think the verdict against Tarique Rahman is appropriate. The people also think so,” he told reporters yesterday. Rahman was handed a seven-year prison term and fined Tk. 20.41 crore as the HC quashed his acquittal by a lower court.
When asked about allegations that the HC has delivered the verdict to please the government, Hanif said, “Does the BNP really believe in Tarique's innocence? A Singapore court also delivered a verdict against Tarique, finding him guilty of money laundering during the BNP-Jamaat tenure. It's internationally recognized that Tarique is a criminal.”
Earlier, addressing a workshop on ‘Call of Islam against terrorism and militancy’, organised by the Islamic Foundation, the AL leader alleged that BNP-Jamaat activists were involved in the recent terrorist attacks across the country. “They were also engaged in terrorist activities to destabilise the AL-led government after failing to oust it from power by waging a three-month-long violent movement,” he said.
Calling upon people from all walks of life, especially those who are involved in Islamic activities, to remain united against terrorism and militancy, Hanif said a national consensus against militancy has already been developed among the conscientious people of the country.