Bangladesh News

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) will question former premier and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia today in connection with the Niko graft case filed against her and four others by the commission.

“The ACC will interrogate Khaleda Zia at sub-jail between 2:00pm and 3:00pm,” DIG

(Prisons) Maj Shamsul Haider Siddiqui told The Daily Star last night.

Yesterday, the ACC quizzed former energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, one of the accused in the case, at its headquarters. A taskforce team along with investigation officer of the case SM Shahidur Rahman questioned the former secretary.

Meanwhile, a Dhaka court yesterday allowed a lawyer to meet Khaleda Zia at sub-jail to discuss with her the Niko case matters.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Golam Rabbani allowed advocate Masud Ahmed Talukder to meet Khaleda following a petition submitted by her lawyers seeking permission to meet her to discuss the issues relating to the graft case.

A total of eight counsels, including Masud and Sanaullah Miah, sought court permission.

Masud Ahmed told The Daily Star over phone that he would meet the former premier at 10:30 in the morning.

The ACC filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on December 9 last year accusing Khaleda and four others. The other accused are detained former law minister Moudud Ahmed, detained former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, and Vice-president (South Aisa) of Niko Research Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif.

In the case, ACC Assistant Director Mahbubul Alam, the complainant of the case, stated that the accused signed a deal with the Canadian Company, causing a loss of Tk 10,000 crore to the national exchequer.