Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia was sued Tuesday for misappropriating 1.59 billion taka (about 22.7 million U.S. dollars) by awarding contract of production management and maintenance of a coal mine to a highest bidder foreign company . Bangladesh Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case alleging that the country's exchequer incurred a loss of 1.59 billion taka (about 22.7 million U.S. dollars) for awarding the contract of Barapukuria Coal Mine in the northwestern region of the country.
The ACC also sued eight former ministers of Khaleda's government, including former Finance and Planning Minister Saifur Rahman, former Local Government Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan and former Industry Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami.
ACC assistant director Samsul Alam filed the first information report (FIR) with Shahbag police station in capital Dhaka Tuesday afternoon accusing them of misusing power either to benefit themselves or benefiting others in awarding the contract to the highest bidder instead of the lowest.
This is the third case filed by the commission against Khaleda Zia. Earlier, on Sept. 2, 2007, she and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko were sued in connection with another graft case.