Dhaka: BNP acting chairman Tarique Rahman on Monday sent a legal notice to State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam asking him to prove by 10 days his remark that he has relinquished his nationality by submitting Bangladeshi passport.

On behalf of Tarique, BNP law affairs secretary Barrister Kaiser Kamal sent the notice by post to the Foreign Ministry’s address, reports the UNB.

Talking to UNB, Kaiser said the state minister was asked in the notice to prove his remark on Tarique or offer an unconditional apology by 10 days.

Or else, he said, the BNP leader will file both criminal and civil cases against Shahriar Alam.

In the notice, Kaiser said, Tarique described the state minister’s remark about the submission of his passport to the Bangladesh High Commission, London giving up nationality as untruth, fabricated and politically motivated one.

The BNP leader also said Shahriar made the remark only to dent his social and political image.

The BNP acting chairman also served the editors of Bangla dailies Kaler Kantho and Bangladesh Pratidin with separate legal notices seeking withdrawal of the news reports they published based on Shahriar Alam’s comments.

He also asked the two editors to tender an unconditional apology for publishing the report. Otherwise, legal action will also be taken against the two editors, said Kaiser.

Addressing a reception hosted by the UK Awami League in honour of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in London, Shahriar said Tarique, living in London, gave up his nationality by handing over his Bangladesh passport to the UK Home Office almost four years ago.

The UK Home Office sent his passport to the Bangladesh High Commission, he added.

Earlier in the day, BNP also protested the state minister’s comment and challenged the Bangladesh High Commission to show Tarique Rahman’s Bangladeshi passport if he submitted it.