Khaleda’s son Koko dies
Khaleda’s son Koko dies
Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, died today at his residence in Malaysia.
“Koko was declared dead around 2:00pm Bangladesh time,” said Atiqur Rahman Rummon, a close aide to Koko’s elder brother Tarique Rahman.
Quoting Simpu, a brother-in-law of Koko who used to stay with Koko in Malaysia, said he complained of chest pain around 12:00pm.
He said around 12:30pm they called in an ambulance from a local hospital as his condition deteriorated.
The doctor who travelled to Koko’s residence at Ampang in Kuala Lumpur in the ambulance around 1:30pm found Koko in a very critical condition and around 2:00pm he declared Koko dead, Rummon added.
Wives of Koko and Tarique informed Khaleda about the death around 2:30pm, said the party insiders.
The body has been kept at the mortuary of Malaya University Hospital.
His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Nagala hospital in Malaysia after Zohr prayers.
BNP Senior vice-chairman Tarique Rahman is already on his way to Malaysia to attend the janaza, said Rummon.
Earlier, Syrul Kabir Khan, a press wing member of BNP chief, told The Daily Star that, “He was rushed to a hospital after he had complained chest pain. Doctors declared him dead around 12:30pm Bangladesh time when he was taken there.”
Koko had stayed in Malaysia for several years. He had been suffering from different ailments, according to sources in the BNP.
The younger of the two sons of two-time prime minister Khaleda, Koko was awarded six-years imprisonment on June 23, 2011 in a money laundering case.
Koko was arrested on September 3, 2007 along with his mother from their residence at Dhaka cantonment. He left the country for Bangkok for treatment on July 19, 2008 after getting out of jail on parole.
His elder brother Tarique Rahman, who is the senior vice chairman of the party, also left the country in September 11, 2008. He has been living in London since then.
The two brothers met their mother for the last time in Malaysia in June 2013.
The Anti-Corruption Commission said it has brought back around 20.41 lakh Singapore dollars laundered by Koko and his associates in 2012.
In the case, the ACC pinpoints Koko's dealings with China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd for constructing the New Mooring Container Terminal and with Siemens for supplying and setting up equipment for Teletalk mobile phone company.
Trying him in absentia, a Dhaka court on June 23, 2011 sentenced Koko to six years' rigorous imprisonment. It also fined him around Tk 39 crore and ordered confiscation of the laundered money.