Bangladesh ACC files corruption case against Khaleda Zia

Dhaka, Feb 26 (UNI) Bangladesh's detained former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia was sued today for misappropriating about 159 crore taka by awarding contract of production management and maintenance of a coal mine to a Chinese company being the highest bidder.

Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission (BACC) filed the case alleging that the country's exchequer incurred a loss of 159 crore taka for awarding the contract of Boro Pukuria Coal Mine in the northern region of the country. The BACC also sued 10 former Ministers of Khaleda's government.

BACC assistant director Samsul Alam filed the first information report (FIR) this afternoon accusing them of misusing power either to benefit themselves or benefiting others in awarding the contract to the highest bidder instead of the lowest.

This is the third case filed by the Commission against Khaleda Zia. Earlier, on September 2, 2007, she and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko were sued in connection with a gradt case for giving work order to GATCO company for container handling in Dhaka and Chittagong.

The BACC filed another corruption case against Ms Khaleda on December 9, 2007 for her alleged corruption in awarding gas exploration deal to Niko, a Canadian company.

Ms Khaleda who ruled the country till 2001 as Prime Minister was arrested from her Dhaka cantonment house along with her youngest on September 3 last year. Her eldest son Tarique Rahman was also arrested in links with different extortion and corruption cases.

The present military-backed caretaker government assuming power on January 12 last year under a state of emergency began crack down on 'corrupt' politicians, businessmen and bureaucrats to clean domestic politics ahead of December general elections.

The ministers against whom the case has been filed inclde: Former Finance and Planning Minister Saifur Rahman, former Local Government Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former Industry Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and former Social Welfare Minister Ali Ahsam M Mujahid, former Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, ex-Information Minister Shamsul Islam, former Commerce Minister Air Vice-Marshall (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, former Telecommunications Minister Barrister Aminul Haque, former State Minister for Energy Mosharaff Hossain, former energy secretary Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla chairman Osmani, former Petrobangla director Moinul Ahsan, former managing director of Boropukuria Coal Mining Company Sirajul Islam and Hossaf Group chairman Moazzem Hossain.

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