DHAKA, Aug 3, 2023 (BSS) - Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud today said the court delivered the verdict following the regular process in the case filed by the last caretaker government against Tarique Rahman and his wife Zubaida Rahman for illegal acquisition of wealth.

"Our government did not file this case. The case was filed by the BNP-preferred caretaker government. If our government would have been vindictive, we would have filed a case, and we had not to wait 14 years for the verdict, the verdict would have been given much earlier," he said.

Dr Hasan, also ruling Awami League (AL) joint general secretary, said these while exchanging views with journalists at the Secretariat here.

Just after the verdict was announced, he said, BNP held a press conference and they declared programmes for today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday). "But (the fact is) this case was not field during our government," he added.

The case was filed during the previous caretaker government when Iajuddin Ahmed was made the President by Begum Khaleda Zia and Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed, who was working in the World Bank, was made the chief advisor of that military-backed caretaker government, while the army chief was made superseding seven senior army officers, the information minister said.

"This case was filed when people of their (BNP) choice were in power. They have been punished in that case," he added.

Referring to BNP's statement over the verdict, Dr Hasan said this party has no confidence in anything, including the law and the court, they don't care about anything, they only go to foreigners every now and then.

"We do not go to foreigners; they (foreigners) come to us if they need," he added.

Asked about the government's effort to bring back Tarique Rahman, the information minister said, "Our talks with the UK government are going on to this end."

About Prime Minister's public rally in Rangpur on Wednesday, he said, "Sheikh Hasina's public rally had turned into a human sea. It proves how much the country's people love Sheikh Hasina and they (people) have trust and faith in and support to Sheikh Hasina and her government".

Though the venue of the public rally was the Rangpur Zilla School ground, the AL joint general secretary said, in reality the entire Rangpur city turned into the rally ground.

"Millions of people, including 96-year-old language veteran and freedom fighter sitting in wheel chairs and elderly women, attended the rally," Dr Hasan said, adding that outside the rally ground over four to five kilometers space was filled with people who were at least 10 times more than those in the original rally venue.

"We were overwhelmed by the huge enthusiasm we saw among the people to greet public leader Sheikh Hasina," he added.