Tarique sends legal notice to Shahriar Alam

Shahriar Alam and Tarique Rahman
Shahriar Alam and Tarique Rahman

Opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday sent a legal notice to the state minister for foreign affairs, Shahriar Alam, for his claim that Tarique relinquished his nationality.

On behalf of Tarique, BNP’s law affairs secretary Kaiser Kamal served the notice, calling Shahriar’s claim untruth, fabricated and politically motivated one.

Tarique also served legal notices to the editors of Bangla dailies Kaler Kantho and Bangladesh Pratidin asking them to withdraw the news reports they published based on Shahriar Alam's comments.

Addressing a reception hosted by the UK Awami League in honour of prime minister Sheikh Hasina in London on Sunday, Shahriar claimed that Tarique, living in London, gave up his nationality by handing over his Bangladesh passport to the UK Home Office almost four years ago.

The legal notice sought proof of Shahriar’s claim within the next 10 days or unconditional apology on his failures to give the proof.

The notice also mentioned that if the state minister for foreign affairs fails to comply with the notice, Tarique will file a case against him.

The legal notice said Shahriar’s claim is aimed to politically and socially humiliate Tarique Rahman.

It said if the state minister for foreign affairs fails to produce proof in favour of his claim, he has to seek unconditional apology to Tarique and to the nation. Otherwise, a case will be filed against the minister.

Tarique Rahman has been in exile in London for more than 10 years. He went to London on bail after getting bail from the court. He is convicted by court in a graft and a money laundering case. He is also an accused of 21 August grenade attack case. The procedure of this case is at the final stage.