The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday submitted charge-sheet in Niko scam case against detained former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 8 others accusions them of causing a loss to Tk 13,650 crore to the state, while awarding gas exploration contract to the Canadian company without tender.

ACC Deputy Director Shabbir Hasan, who filed the case with Tejgaon thana on December 9 last year and was the Investigation Officer (IO) of the case, submitted the charge-sheet in the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's (CMM's) Court at 4-30pm after enquiring into the scam. The IO said he had recorded statements of 51 (witnesses) persons during the investigation to press the charge during the last five months.

Like the other detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia and her co-accused, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) pressed the charge against Sheikh Hasina, also the Awami League (AL) President, and her associates under the Bangladesh Penal Code and not under the emergency founding rules (EPR).

The two separate Niko scam cases are the first charges against the two top political leaders, in which they were not implicated under EPR.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court's Judge M Azizul Haq yesterday asked police to present Begum Khaleda Zia, also the BNP Chairperson, and her detained co-accused in the his Court on May 13 for charge hearing in Niko graft case, in which she and her associates were blamed of incurring a loss to the nation to tune of Tk 13, 777 crore.

The Judge, in Bashundahara Director murder case also ordered police to present Begum Zia's eldest son Tarique Rahman and former State Minister of Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar and their detained co-accused in his Court on the same day (May 13) for hearing.

The trial of the Niko scam cases also going to become the first graft trial against the two former Prime Ministers that would be held at the original vicinity of the Old Court area in the old part of the capital.

Other co-accused of Sheikh Hasina in the Niko scam case are-former State Minister for Power and Energy Prof Rafiqul Islam and former Secretaries-Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury, Dr SA Samad, Akmal Hossain, Mosharraf Hossain and Dr AKM Mashiur Rahman, former PertroBangla Director Syed Anwarul Haq and Vice-President of Niko Resources Bangladesh Kashem Sharif.

Apart from Sheikh Hasina, Prof Rafiqul Islam and former Secretary Dr Towfique-e-Elahi Chowdhury are in custody, while six others are out of the bar.

They were prosecuted under the penal code 409/109/511 and section 5(2) of the Corruption Prevention Act, 1947. The provision of Emergency Power Rules has not been invoked in the case.

The charge statement said during her tenure (1996-01) as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in connivance with others entered into an uneven deal for the exploration of gas with Canada-based company Niko. The deal was awarded illegally without tender accruing personal benefits and thus inflicted a heavy loss on the state to the tune of Tk 13,650 crore.

The prosecution submitted a list of 51 witnesses.

Beside the Niko scam case, Hasina faces at least half a dozen corruption cases, of which she is facing trial in two cases-Barge-mounted Power Plant and MIG-29 warplane purchase deals.

The Charge-sheet against Begum Zia and ten others in the Niko corruption case was submitted to the CMM court on Monday (May 5). Apart from the former Prime Minister those, who were arrested in the case are-former Law Minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, former State Minister of Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, controversial businessman Giasuddin-al Mamun, who is the close friend of Tarique Rahman, former Acting Energy Secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam and former President of Dhaka Club Selim Bhuiyan. The Court asked the prosecution to produce them on May 13.

Five of Begum Zia's co-accused are abosconding, the Court yesterday issued warrant of arrest against them. They are former Principal Secretary to the Prime Ministe Dr Kamal Siddiqui, CM Yusuf Hossain, Mir Moinul Haque, Shafiur Rahman and Kashem Sharif.