Bangladesh Supreme Court denies bail to Khaleda Zia

Bangladesh Supreme Court today denied the bail granted to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia by a lower court in connection with the corruption and extortion cases against her.

Dhaka, Oct 4 : Bangladesh Supreme Court today denied the bail granted to former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia by a lower court in connection with the corruption and extortion cases against her.

Overturning the September 30 ruling of the High Court that had also ordered a halt in the court proceedings of the case, the Supreme Court today upheld the appeal filed by the interim government, seeking Zia's detention.

Rafiqul Huq, counsel of Zia, termed the apex court's decision as 'disappointing and unfair".

Zia and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko were detained by the Bangladesh security forces on September 3 on graft charges.

The case, which involves eleven others, besides Zia and Koko, is related to the alleged award of a contract to an incompetent and unfit firm, Global Agro Trade Company (GATCO) to handle the containers at the Inland Container Depot in Dhaka and Chittagong Port allegedly for kickbacks.

This is the first case filed against Khaleda Zia by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

ANI