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

Judge Motahar Hossain said that he was threatened with a pistol to give a verdict in the alleged corruption case against BNP leader Tarek Rahman related to money laundering abroad. He gave this information in an interview given to tabloid newspaper Manabzamin.

A report published on the front page of the newspaper today has highlighted the details of this incident. It is said that 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 attitude of the judge, 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 intelligence officers. 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. Intelligence officers also create an atmosphere of fear. At one point, 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 acquitted Tariq Rahman of the charges by reading his written verdict.

He announced this verdict on November 17, 2013. He acquitted Tariq Rahman in the judgment as no charges were proved.

He said, the detectives 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, Zahirul Haque Dulal and Dhaka Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Ashish Ranjan came 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 pulled. 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 Saheb's judgment will be written by Motahar Saheb.

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.

Manavzamin's report also informed that Motahar Hossain went out of the country after this verdict was announced. After visiting several countries, he settled in Finland in 2022. He is in political asylum there with his son.
Judge Motahar Hossain is now thinking of returning to the country after the mass uprising of students on August 5.