The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The Anti-Corruption Commission approved charge-sheeting former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, 10 powerful ministers of her cabinet and five others in the Barapukuria graft case.

According to a competent source, the anti-graft watchdog yesterday approved the submission of the charge sheet in the

high-profile case, one of many graft cases filed during the post-1/11 changeover. The Commission has decided to press charges against all the 16 accused.

ACC spokesperson Col Hanif Iqbal, however, said he was not aware of the latest development. "I don't know. It's not known to me."

This will be the third charge sheet against the immediate-past PM during the current clean-up drive, after having been charge-sheeted in Gatco and Niko graft cases.

Earlier, the investigating officer has submitted the investigation report recommending charge-sheeting all the accused.

On February 26, the ACC filed the case against Khaleda Zia, now on bail, 10 ex-ministers and five others for embezzlement of about Tk 159 crore from the exchequer through awarding Barapukuria Coal Mine deal to the highest bidder instead of the lowest.

Former finance minister Saifur Rahman, ex-BNP secretary general and LGRD minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Jamaat chief and ex-industries minister Motiur Rahman Nizami and its secretary general and ex-social welfare minister Ali Ahsam M Mujahid are the heavyweights among the ministers of the immediate-past coalition government sued by the Anti-Corruption Commission.

The other former ministers accused in the case are Health Minister Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, Agriculture Minister MK Anwar, Information Minister Shamsul Islam, Commerce Minister Air Vice-Marshall (retd) Altaf Hossain Chowdhury, Telecommunications Minister Barrister Aminul Haque and State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharaff Hossain.

The rest of the accused are former energy secretary Nazrul Islam, former Petrobangla chairman and incumbent BISIC chairman SR Osmani, former Petrobangla director Moinul Ahsan, former managing director of Barapukuria Coal Mining Company Sirajul Islam and Hossaf Group chairman Moazzem Hossain.

Following the filing of the case, ACC deputy director Monirul Haque was appointed investigation officer, and after months of investigation, he submitted the memo of evidence (investigation report) in the middle of June.

But, the ACC ordered reinvestigation, as they were not satisfied with the investigation.

Later, Abul Kashem Fakir was appointed to reinvestigate the high-profile case.