Khaleda denies charges of corruption

Dhaka, Oct 11 (UNI) Bangladesh's Former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia today denied any wrongdoing in the alleged Gatco corruption case during the questioning by the Anti-Corruption commission (ACC).

The detained Bangladesh Nationalist Party Chairperson said she gave the nod to the Gatco deal, the alleged transaction in which the former PM awarded the container-handling work to an incompetent firm, Gatco, at internal container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong, only after the cabinet purchase committee approved it, the Daily Star reported.

The ACC had filed a graft case against Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 other people on September 2 for the reported backdoor dealings.

The former PM told the ACC officials that she had sent back a previous file as it did not have the purchase committee's seal of approval.

Investigation officer and ACC Deputy Director Jahirul Huda, Major Mostafa Kamal and CID Inspector Nurul Islam began quizzing Khaleda shortly after midday at the sub-jail where she has been detained in following her arrest on September 3.

The ACC has already questioned seven former ministers -- who were on the purchase committee that approved the contract.

The investigation has also questioned a number of former and serving officials of Chittagong Port Authority.

Khaleda's lawyer, Ahmed Aazam Khan, was present during the questioning.

UNI