Bangladeshi former prime minister Khaleda Zia was sent to jail on Monday after a court in the capital refused her bail petition.
The court also ordered Khaleda Zia's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko to be in custody for seven days for interrogation.
Khaleda Zia and Arafat were arrested here Monday morning by joint forces on corruption charge.
The Anti-Corruption Commission Sunday midnight filed a case with Tejgaon Police Station here alleging that Khaleda Zia while in office as prime minister (2001-2006) abused power and appointed koko's Global Agro Trade Company (GATCO) as a contractor for both the Inland Container Depot in capital Dhaka and southeastern Chittagong port on March 1, 2003 without following a proper bidding procedure.
GATCO, a private handling company, is often blamed for inefficiency in handling containers. The shady recruitment of GATCO and subsequent problems arising from it cost the state coffers 10 billion taka (about 140 million U.S. dollars), according to case details.
The current caretaker government led by Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed launched massive anti-corruption drive since taking office on January 12. Around 200 former ministers and MPs, including Khaleda's older son Tarique Rahman and former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, have been arrested on corruption charges.
Source: Xinhua
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