2 new corruption cases against Khaleda in the making

The Anti-Corruption Commission is up with preparation to sue former prime minister and BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia in two new graft cases.

Sources from among the cabinet members and the ACC confirmed the preparation for filing the couple of cases—in the wake of some fast developments in the country’s political arena.
The sources said the government would try its level best to tackle possible turmoil if it was created by the opposition BNP over the eviction issue of Khaleda Zia.
The government moves ahead in a planned way to thwart the threatened out-government movement following the eviction episode. To file the corruption cases against the opposition leader, Khaleda Zia, is seen as part of the plan as a last resort in the face of the onslaught.
An ACC source said, “Two separate cases about corruption may be lodged anytime on charges of mismanagement of the fund of Zia Charitable Trust and realizing Tk 100 crore in constructing the Bhairab Bridge.”
He added: “Begum Zia, a former premier and incumbent opposition leader, is the chairman of Zia Charitable Trust and her two sons-Tarique Rahman and Arafat Rahman Coco--are the members of the fund. However, no involvement of Tarique and Coco was found yet in the case of mismanagement of the fund.”
There are stipulated rules and regulations in collecting funds from the donors in favour of trusts. “But, violating the rules, a huge amount of money has been taken in the name of the trust,” the source said.
Moreover, the collected funds have been spent in another sector and there is no account book of the trust-management authorities about spending trust funds. “Signs by Khaleda Zia were found in the cheques for withdrawing money from the fund,” source further said.
The ACC sources informed that a part of the cantonment house from which Khaleda has been evicted recently has been allotted in the name of the trust.
On the other side, 45 decimal of land has been purchased with Tk 7 crore for the trust at Purana Paltan in the city. In fact, the price of the land was more than that. It was quoted in the stamp in a bid to evade taxes. It was also suspected whether the persons from whom the land was purchased are actual landowners or not.
ACC chairman Golam Rahman told banglanews, “Investigation is underway about the mismanagement of Zia Charitable Trust and realizing money in constructing Bhairab Bridge.”
The chief of the anti-graft watchdog body said, “It is not possible to say anything more than this.”
Replying to a query, the ACC chairman said, “We are working independently.”
-Bangla News