Tarique behind Bangladesh mission office attack: Obaidul

The road, transport and bridges minister today claimed that BNP senior vice chairman Tarique Rahman, who is now in England, was involved in Wednesday's attack on Bangladesh High Commission office in London.

The government has taken legal measures against those involved in the attack and has also taken steps to bring them back, Obaidul Quader said while inaugurating a gate on Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway today.

The attack took place in London a day before a lower court verdict in Dhaka against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia in a corruption case.

A special court on that day (February 8) sentenced Khaleda to five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case.

The special court also sentenced Khaleda's eldest son Tarique, and four others to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and slapped a fine of Tk 2.10 crore each.

The minister said the government has already informed the Interpol (International Criminal Police Organisation) about the incident.

Staying in London, Tarique is conducting such activities, Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, said. 

Quader at the programme also said that no outsider is needed to tear apart BNP. "Its own people are enough for that," he said.

The minister inaugurated the gate at Link Road on the 85-kilometre of Cox's Bazar-Teknaf highway in commemoration of ATM Jafor Alom, who was killed by West Pakistani forces on the night of March 25 in 1971.   

Alom, who was killed at the then Iqbal Hall presently Zahurul Haque Hall on the Dhaka university campus, is one of the very first martyrs of Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971. His village home was in Ukhia upazila of Cox's Bazar.

Jafor Alom was the elder brother of Cabinet Secretary M Shafiul Alam.

Three lawmakers, among others, were also present at the inaugural programme. 

The attack

BNP activities allegedly forced their way into the Bangladesh High Commission in London on Wednesday, February 7, 2018, and assaulted its employees while vandalising some valuables.

Following a demonstration by the UK chapter of BNP and its front organisations, a group of demonstrators entered the high commission in the name of submitting a memorandum, according to a press release issued by the high commission.

The release, which was circulated among journalists during a press conference by Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali at the foreign ministry on February 8, condemned the attack and said the incident has tarnished the cocuntry's image. "Bangladesh High Commission in London represents Bangladesh in the UK. So, damaging the high commission's assets is same as damaging state assets, and attack on the high commission is tantamount to attack on Bangladesh," said the statement read out by the foreign minister.

Responding to a query, Foreign Minister Ali said one of the attackers was arrested by the British police from the spot.