DHAKA: Bangladesh's anti-corruption watchdog on Wednesday submitted chargesheet against detained former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and eight others in a case linked to the awarding of gas fields to a Canadian company during her government's tenure between 1996-2001.
The powerful Anti-Corruption Commission filed the chargesheet against Hasina along with eight others a day after it formally indicted her arch-rival detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia under a separate case for contracting out the gas fields to the same Canadian company 'Nico Resources Limited' in exchange of kickbacks.
The watchdog had earlier approved the chargesheets against Hasina and Zia along with 18 others, including former ministers and officials, in separate Niko graft cases on April 30.
Hasina, during her term as the prime minister of the Awami League-led government, allegedly approved a Niko deal in 2001, which cost the government Taka 13,630.50 crore in losses, according to the chargesheet.
The case alleged that Niko Resources was "very inefficient" in different aspects, including technical know-how for oil explorations, but the deal was approved in violations of a proper procedure.
Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four party alliance government also connived with Niko in implementing an "illegal" joint venture agreement soon after the alliance assumed power in October 2001, according to the case filed against Khaleda.
Khaleda, the then prime minister, allegedly ignored opinions of the gas experts and took sides with Niko on the deal, costing the state Tk 10,000 crore in losses.
The powerful Anti-Corruption Commission filed the chargesheet against Hasina along with eight others a day after it formally indicted her arch-rival detained former prime minister Khaleda Zia under a separate case for contracting out the gas fields to the same Canadian company 'Nico Resources Limited' in exchange of kickbacks.
The watchdog had earlier approved the chargesheets against Hasina and Zia along with 18 others, including former ministers and officials, in separate Niko graft cases on April 30.
Hasina, during her term as the prime minister of the Awami League-led government, allegedly approved a Niko deal in 2001, which cost the government Taka 13,630.50 crore in losses, according to the chargesheet.
The case alleged that Niko Resources was "very inefficient" in different aspects, including technical know-how for oil explorations, but the deal was approved in violations of a proper procedure.
Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)-led four party alliance government also connived with Niko in implementing an "illegal" joint venture agreement soon after the alliance assumed power in October 2001, according to the case filed against Khaleda.
Khaleda, the then prime minister, allegedly ignored opinions of the gas experts and took sides with Niko on the deal, costing the state Tk 10,000 crore in losses.
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