Bangladesh court sentences exiled opposition leader to 9 years in jail on corruption charges

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — A court in Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son and heir apparent to nine years in prison after finding the opposition leader guilty in a corruption case filed by the government in 2007. Judge Mohammed Asaduzzaman delivered the sentence in absentia to Tarique Rahman. He also gave a three-year sentence in absentia to Rahman’s wife, who also lives abroad. Rahman’s party rejected the verdict, calling it politically motivated. Rahman is the acting chairman of the country’s main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party, which has been holding anti-government protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Rahman has been in self-imposed exile since 2008 and has been leading the party from London.