Former Bangladesh prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia went on trial on Wednesday on corruption charges over a port deal, officials said. It is the latest graft case to come to trial as part of what the interim government says is its drive to rid the country of corruption and ensure free and fair elections by the end of the year. Also facing prosecution in the same case are KhaledaÂ’s second son Arafat Rahman, plus 15 others including ex-ministers and former senior officials. All have pleaded not guilty. According to the prosecution, Khaleda and her son Arafat influenced the authorities to award the deal in 2003 to an obscure local company to handle containers at the main port in Chittagong. She is accused of accepting kick-backs from the company.