Khaleda denies Niko graft charges

Detained former premier and BNP chairperson Khaelda Zia yesterday told investigators that she personally did not violate any rules of business as her government signed a gas deal with Canadian exploration company Niko.
Denying any personal involvement in the process of awarding the contract for gas exploration to Niko, Khaleda also told the investigation team that she even did not sign on the final agreement between her government and the Canadian company.
Khaleda made the comments when a four-member task force team quizzed her at a sub-jail on the national parliament building premises in connection with the Niko graft case filed against her and four others on December 9 of last year.
Khaleda's counsels, who had been present during the quizzing, told journalists that the former premier informed the investigators that she had done everything in accordance with the rules of business of the government and had not personally signed the final agreement with Niko.
The counsels also mentioned that Khaleda at one stage of questioning questioned the investigators back regarding the legitimacy of the case against her, since she personally had not signed the deal.
Sources in the Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) said regarding the allegation against Khaleda that she had ordered former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain to okay the agreement with Niko, the detained former premier said she had not given any such order to anyone.
Khaleda's counsels however said quoting their client that when the draft agreement, which had been prepared by the previous Awami League government, was placed before her she gave a verbal order to continue what had been started by the previous government.
Experts in the energy ministry however said besides being the prime minister, Khaleda was also the chief of the energy ministry, so the responsibility of the ministry signing any deal, ultimately falls on her shoulder.
"Even if the Niko deal was signed by Mosharraf Hossain, the ultimate responsibility of awarding the job falls on her shoulder, who else could have taken the responsibility," an expert said.
Khaleda was the fourth defendant in the case questioned so far. The ACC on Wednesday questioned another defendant former energy secretary Shahidul Islam, while detained former law minister Moudud Ahmed and detained AKM Mosharraf Hossain had been quizzed at jail gates earlier.
Another defendant in the case Vice-president (South Asia) of Niko Resources Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif is absconding.
The task force team led by Investigation Officer (IO) also ACC Assistant Director SM Shahidur Rahman also included Maj Mustafa Kamal, CID Inspector Nurul Islam, and Deputy Tax Commissioner Shamimur Rahman.
Khaleda's two counsels AM Mahbub Uddin and Masud Ahmed Talukder were also present during the quizzing.
A Dhaka court on February 17 allowed the investigation team to quiz Khaleda following an application from the IO.
The case brought allegations against the accused of causing a loss of Tk 10,000 crore to the national exchequer by signing the deal with the Canadian company.
The investigation team also questioned businessman Giasuddin Al Mamun and former Dhaka Club president Selim Bhuiyan in connection with the case, both of whom are currently detained.
The ACC also questioned a number of bureaucrats of different ministries regarding the high profile case, and seized relevant files and documents.
The investigation team also made visits to some spots including Chhatak gas field and seized some documents from there.