Tariq Rahman was asked to be punished by threatening him with a pistol

Judge Motahar Hossain gave sensational information about the verdict of the alleged corruption case related to money laundering against BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman. Awami League government was in power at that time. Tariq Rahman's trial was going on in Dhaka's Special Judge Court-3.

Several dramatic events took place before the verdict was announced. Judge Motahar Hossain was naturally preparing to announce the verdict of the case. But suddenly the scenario changed. Various pressures and threats started coming from all sides. Tariq Rahman should be punished in any way.

The judgment of the case will be based on the evidence. If the judge first expressed such an attitude, the pressure on him increased. Law Ministry Officer (later became Law Secretary) Abu Saleh Sheikh Md. Zahirul Haque Dulal directly contacted Motahar Hossain. Let's talk.

Seeing the judge's attitude, Dulal took a strategy of intimidation. Motahar Hossain was called to the residence of a High Court judge in Dhanmondi. Zahirul Haque Dulal was present there. With some officials. Some entered there with pistols in their waists. Judge Motahar Hossain was told that Tariq Rahman must be sentenced at any cost.

The judge then said that there is no evidence in the case to sentence. Sentencing in this case will not be legal. Then Dulal threatened the judge with death. Officials also create an atmosphere of fear.

At one stage, Dulal told the judge, 'You don't have to write a verdict. I will write it. You just read. Later Dulal wrote the verdict and sent it to the judge's house. Judge Motahar, however, did not read the judgment written by Zahirul Haque Dulal in the court. He read his written judgment and declared Tariq Rahman acquitted of the charges.'

Judge Motahar fell into extreme insecurity after the verdict was announced. A month before his retirement, this incident turned everything upside down. After being in hiding for some time, he came back to the court and realized that various arrangements were being made to discipline him. Later, he cleaned up his office and left his beloved workplace the day before retirement. Moved to Malaysia with one son. After that he spent a lot of time as a vagabond.

He could not stay in one place for long as the detectives chased him. Couldn't stay in one country. After visiting several countries, he settled in Finland in 2022. He is in political asylum there with his son. Judge Motahar Hossain is thinking of returning to the country after the mass uprising of students on August 5.

Talking to the media, he said that the situation before and after the verdict was dire. Soon after the Awami League came to power in the second term, Chuadanga came under attack by ruling a case against the party's leaders. Later he had to stay in hiding for 41 days. His wife died four years ago in Bangladesh. Didn't get a chance to see him either. Motahar Hossain's wife was in the country with two sons. They also had to move from one district to another due to insecurity.

On November 17, 2013, Judge Motahar announced the verdict of the corruption case related to money laundering against BNP Acting Chairman Tariq Rahman. He acquitted Tariq Rahman in the judgment as no charges were proved.

Motahar Hossain said that there was no evidence of the allegations made against Tarek Rahman in the money laundering case, and Tarek Rahman was involved in this case for political reasons. A charge sheet was filed in this case accusing him with a supplementary charge sheet.

He said, after being appointed as a judge, I review the case documents in detail. I see that there is no evidence against Tariq Rahman in that complaint. There is not enough material to frame a charge against him. However, since the charge has been framed, I have to judge it. I continue the trial. Accept the testimony. There is no evidence against the accused. Evidence is zero. Not a single witness came forward to accuse him. No complaint filed. How can an accused be sentenced in that case?

Motahar Hossain said, 'Despite not being guilty, the former law secretary Dulal kept pressing him one after another so that Tariq Rahman was sentenced in the money laundering case. (Zahirul Haque Dulal was an officer of the Ministry of Law then, became the Law Secretary in 2015, died of Corona after retirement in 2020). They kept pressuring me, the then State Minister for Law, Kamrul Islam. They put the people of the organization behind me. Former Chief Justice Khairul Haque pressured me in many ways. Tariq asked to punish Rahman. I have told all of them, I will review the law and take legal action. Justice will be done.'

He said, 'Investigation members came to my house on Friday before the verdict was announced. They took me to the residence of the then Justice Ashish Ranjan Saheb in Dhanmondi. Two to four minutes later, I saw Zahirul Haque Dulal and Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashish Ranjan come to the house. Some of them entered and took out pistols. Pulling out the pistol and loading it. moving Says this pistol fires 8 rounds once the trigger is pressed. The reason for doing this was to scare me. I got scared and so did the judge. Dulal kept saying again and again that if Tariq Rahman is acquitted, no one will get relief if he is not punished in the case, if he is not jailed in this case. Then I said to Justice Ashish Ranjan, sir, there is no evidence against Tariq Rahman in this case. Not a single witness, except for the government, has spoken against him, not uttered his name, let alone filed any charges. His name is not in the evidence. How do I give punishment? I said, I cannot write this judgment. Then Dulal said to Justice Ashish Ranjan, Sir, what can be done? Sir you write the verdict, I will see. Mr. Justice said, no. I cannot write a verdict. Motahar Sahib will write Motahar Sahib's judgment.'

He said, 'Then Zahirul Haque Dulal asked me to sit at home and write the verdict. I sit at home and write judgments. Write the judgment to acquit Tariq Rahman. On Sunday morning, Zahirul Haque sent the verdict to me through the intelligence agency. Raita along with intelligence force people took me from home to court. I also take my written judgment along with me. I announce the judgment that is true and correct in the assembly. After that, considering the situation, I had to go into hiding due to security concerns. At one point I came back to the court. Just a few days before retirement, I got to know that they might kidnap and disappear me on the day of retirement. Knowing this plan of theirs, I signed all the papers on the day before retirement and went out.'

He said, 'First I went to Malaysia with my son. Intelligence surveillance started behind me there too. I could not stay in one place for long. From there I went to Nepal and stayed for some time. Detectives go there too. In 2022, I got asylum in Finland with my son Arif Hasan Rahul. Meanwhile, I had my wife and two sons in the country. They too have gone through tough times. There were concerns about the boys' safety. They moved from one district to another. His wife died four years ago. We couldn't go. Now two sons live in Natore.'

Asked if there had been any such incident before the verdict, he said, 'I had to flee after a verdict was delivered in Chuadanga in 2009. I punished the district Awami League leaders based on proper evidence. Then the court was attacked. My chamber is shot. I was forced to go into hiding. Then many people including the Chief Justice helped me. I can return to court again.'

Motahar said, 'A case was filed against me by ACC. Asked for my asset information. I told them through my son that I don't have any plot or flat anywhere in the country or abroad. There is ancestral land. There is a garden. However, after the change of context on August 5, the ACC has withdrawn the case and complaint against me.

Asked whether he will return to the country now, he said, 'I am monitoring the situation. I want to return to the country soon. A lot has gone from my life. My family is torn apart. I will get some peace when I return to the country.'

He said 'Bangladesh has been freed from dictatorship and fascism in the historic revolution of the students. Now is the time to decentralize the judiciary to ensure justice for all people.'