Former PM Khaleda Zia, her youngest son arrested

Dhaka, Sept 3 (UNI) Police arrested Bangladesh's immediate past Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and her youngest son from her Dhaka Cantonment residence this morning on charge of abusing power while in the office.

Khaleda was sent to a makeshift jail in national Parliament building compound while her son Arafat Rahman Koko brought on a 7-day police remand following orders by a court.

"The government wanted to send me into political exile but having failed they arrested me in a false case," her lawyer Advocate Sanaullah quoted her as telling the court.

Immediately after the arrest at about 0745 hrs local time, Khaleda and her son were produced before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court for hearing the case.

Wearing a white chiffon saree Khaleda waved to crowds thronging in the court compound in old Dhaka amidst high security.

Nearly 100 lawyers chanted slogans for Khaleda as she got into a jeep on way to jail from the court at about 0950 hrs local time Witnesses said The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station here yesterday alleging that Khaleda Zia while in the office as Prime Minister (2001-2006) abused power and favoured her son's business firm for recruiting manpower in Chittagong sea port and Inland Depot at Kamlapur in Dhaka.

ACC Assistant Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case against Khaleda, her son and 11 others.

Khaleda's elder son Tareque Rahman was detained in March by security forces as part of an anti-corruption drive launched by the country's Army-backed interim Government.

Earlier, the Government also arrested another former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in an extortion case on July 16 and detained her in a makeshift jail in national Parliament building complex.

Nearly 200 former ministers and MPs of both Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina Governments have been rounded up on charges of corruption, extortion and abuse of powers since the caretaker Government of Chief Advisor Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed took the office on January 12 under the state of emergency.

Over a dozen of ex-ministers and MPs have already been sentenced in different terms by special anti-corruption courts.

UNI