DHAKA: Rabeya Siraj, wife of former BNP minister for Forest and Environment Shahjahan Siraj, was Wednesday sent to jail on surrender after absconding for long with prison terms nearly long as her life.     

Judge Jasmine Anwar of the Special Judge Court-4 passed the order sending the convicted Rabeya to jail after she appeared before the court in person and surrendered at noon.  

She was sentenced to 43 years imprisonment in six cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) during a massive anti-graft crackdown under state of emergency following the 1/11/2007 changeover prompted by a political crisis over election issues at the end of BNP rule.  

The ex-minister himself, his wife and son were all tried in absentia and sentenced to jail during the quick justice in special courts where a large number of top politicians, bureaucrats, business magnets and the like were put in the dock.
They were convicted of offences like concealing information of ill-gotten wealth and evading tax.

BDST: 2:04 HRS, AUG 11, 2010.