Scuffle in courtroom interrupts depositions in Tarique-Zubaida case

The depositions of prosecution witnesses in the corruption case against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman were postponed for two and a half hours on Tuesday following an altercation between a group of pro-BNP lawyers and prosecution lawyers. 

When a section of pro-BNP lawyers entered the courtroom and requested that the case be dismissed, Judge Md Asaduzzaman of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court was still recording one Abdul Matin's deposition.

They disrupted proceedings and engaged into a physical altercation with the defense counsel, according to Public Prosecutor of Anti-Corruption Commission Mosharraf Hossain Kajol.

After law enforcement removed the BNP-supporting lawyers from the courtroom, the taking of depositions reportedly began at 6:00 pm.

The court ended recording testimony for Tuesday at about 6:15pm.

To prevent any further unfavorable incidence, more police have been stationed on the court's grounds.

On September 26, 2007, the ACC filed the case with Kafrul Police Station against BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman, his wife Zubaida Rahman 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.

On March 31, 2009, the investigation officer filed charges against the three after an investigation.

Trial procedures against Zubaida's mother, however, were dropped.