Bangla Jamat-e-Islami chief and BNP ally behind the bars

Dhaka, May 19 (UNI) Police arrested Jamat-e-Islami chief Ameer Motiur Nizami, a former ally of detained BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, and ex-cabinet minister in her government in the Gatco graft case in which she had been already chargesheeted on May 13.

Police last night arrested Jamaat-e-Islami Ameer Motiur Rahman Nizami at his Moghbazar residence hours after BNP leaders Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and M Shamsul Islam were sent to jail on surrender to a Dhaka court, Daily Star reported.

Police also raided the Elephant Road residence of former minister and BNP leader MK Anwar at about 10:00 pm local time but did not find him there.

Gulshan police said they went to the residences of former ministers M Saifur Rahman and Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury just to maintain formalities since they knew the two are now abroad.

Earlier on Thursday, the court had issued warrants for the arrest of the Chief of the largest Islamist Party and others in the Gatco graft case.

BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko have already been detained in connection with the case on September 3 last year, immediately after filing of the case.

The other absconding accused are former shipping secretary Zulfikar Haider Chowdhury, Gatco directors AKM Musa Kajol, Ehsan Yusuf, Shahjahan M Hasib, former member of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) AK Rashid Uddin Ahmed and former shipping minister and late BNP leader Col (retd) Akbar Hossain's wife Jahanara Ansar.

The arrestees in the case include are former health minister Dr Khondaker Mosharraf Hossain, former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and former CPA chief finance and accounts officer Ahmed Abul Qashem.

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) pressed charges against Khaleda and 22 others on May 13 for committing the offences.

Yesterday charges were framed against another detained Bangladesh former Prime Minister and Awami League President Sheikh Hasina in the power plant graft case by a special court.

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