During the Bangladesh Nationalist Partyโs (BNP) anti-government rallies in 2023, several senior party leaders defended their acting chairman, Tarique Rahman, the eldest son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, against allegations of corruption and terrorism sponsorship. They dismissed claims surrounding his infamous political hub, โHawa Bhaban,โ as baseless propaganda.
BNP International Affairs Secretary Barrister Rumeen Farhana, appearing on a private television talk show, argued, โThe allegations of corruption and money laundering against our acting chairman have never been substantiated. They are purely political propaganda. Where is the evidence and documents? What has the government done to prove these claims over the years?โ She further alleged that significant money laundering occurred under the Awami League government.
Similarly, Barrister Kaiser Kamal, Legal Affairs Secretary of the BNP Executive Council, described Hawa Bhaban as merely the political office of the party chief, Khaleda Zia, and her son. He stated, โThe narrative around Hawa Bhaban is a media creation and propaganda by those who oppose BNP. No evidence supports these claims. Yes, many cases have been filed, but they are false and lack proper evidence or information.โ
However, the reality paints a starkly different picture.
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Since relocating to the United Kingdom in 2008, Tarique Rahman has faced multiple convictions in Bangladesh. He has been sentenced to life imprisonment in the August 21 grenade attack case and a cumulative 48-year prison term in various corruption cases, including one for insulting Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.
Should he return to Bangladesh, he must surrender to the courts, but he has chosen to remain abroad. His mother, wife, associates, and several high-ranking officials from the BNP-Jamaat coalition government have also faced penalties in related cases.
Senior BNP leaders and US Embassy officials in Dhaka have revealed that between 2001 and 2006, Tarique Rahman and his associates transformed Hawa Bhaban into an alternative โpowerhouseโ to amass wealth. From this heavily guarded office in Banani, Dhaka, critical decisions on governance and legislation were made, often bypassing formal channels.
During the BNPโs tenure (2001โ2006), Bangladesh was ranked the worldโs most corrupt country for five consecutive years by Transparency International. The World Bank cancelled funding for three development projects, citing rampant government corruption. Journalists faced attacks and harassment from government forces, terrorists, and Jamaat-Shibir activists for exposing these issues.
The BNP-Jamaat coalition shielded criminals who targeted Awami League supporters, Hindus, Ahmadiyya communities, women, journalists, and marginalised ethnic groups in the Chittagong Hill Tracts and plains throughout the period, journalist and researcher Probir Kumar Sarker writes in his book โThe Dark Princeโ.
The book explores the political career and controversies surrounding Tarique Rahman and his influence during the BNPโs tenure from 2001 to 2006.
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The book examines the rise of Hawa Bhaban as a center of power, allegations of corruption, and the broader socio-political impact of Tarique Rahmanโs actions, drawing on court records and human rights reports via WikiLeaks, and statements from international stakeholders like the US Embassy, Amnesty International, and Human Rights Watch.
Before the 2001 elections, Khaleda Zia established Hawa Bhaban on Banani Road No. 13 as her political office, which Tarique Rahman later used. Under his influence, the office became a hub for corruption, vendettas, terrorism sponsorship, and abuse of power, earning him the moniker โDark Prince,โ given by a top US embassy official.
This misconduct contributed to the BNPโs demoralising defeat in the 2008 elections, following the arrest of Khaleda Zia and her two sons during the caretaker governmentโs tenure.
In 2007, Tarique Rahman was detained and interrogated alongside associates Harris Chowdhury and Giasuddin Al Mamun over corruption allegations. He was later released on bail and moved to London on September 11, 2008, reportedly on the condition that he abstain from politics. Despite this, he has continued to lead the BNP from abroad. Political influence reportedly extended to the judiciary, facilitating his bail despite the caretaker governmentโs efforts to hold him accountable.
Former US Ambassador James F. Moriarty labelled Tarique Rahman โa symbol of corruption and violent politicsโ in Bangladesh, accusing him of accepting bribes in government procurement and recruitment. Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch reported that the BNP-Jamaat government enabled violence against opposition groups and minorities with impunity, says Probir Kumar Sarker, a journalist known for his investigative work on political corruption and governance in Bangladesh.
In 2005, Bangladesh faced near-daily bomb attacks, including simultaneous explosions across 63 districts orchestrated by the al-Qaeda-linked militant group Jamaโatul Mujahideen Bangladesh (JMB). Although the government banned JMB and its affiliate JMJB, and Harkat-ul Jihad al-Islami (HuJI-B), evidence suggests prior sponsorship by BNP and its allies.
Human Rights Watch described Bangladeshโs political and security situation in 2005 as dire, citing extrajudicial killings, excessive use of force, and custodial torture by security forces. Human rights activists and journalists who reported on these abuses faced harassment and intimidation.
Threats to US Interests
In November 2008, Ambassador Moriarty recommended barring Tarique Rahman from entering the United States under Section 212 of the Immigration and Nationality Act and Presidential Proclamation 7750, citing his โblatant corruption,โ reads the book โThe Dark Prince.โ
Moriarty argued that Tariqueโs actions undermined US priorities in Bangladeshโdemocratisation, development, and counterterrorism. His embezzlement, extortion, and interference in judicial processes weakened the rule of law, discouraged foreign investment, and fostered a permissive environment for terrorism, exacerbating poverty and destabilising democratic institutions.
Moriarty proposed charging Tarique under Presidential Proclamation 7750, Section 1, Subsection (c), for government corruption, emphasising the US commitment to combating corruption in Bangladesh.
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