| NIKO Gas Deal Hasina, Khaleda, 10 others sued Staff Correspondent
The Anti-corruption Commission (ACC) yesterday sued former prime ministers Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina along with 10 others for inflicting an enormous loss to the state through awarding gas deals to Canadian gas exploration company Niko by abusing their power.
In two separate cases -- one filed against Sheikh Hasina and six others, and the other against Khaleda Zia and four others -- complainants alleged that primary investigations found involvement of the accused in illegally awarding contracts to Niko for exploring and developing three gas fields in the country.
ACC Deputy Director Sabbir Hasan, in the case filed against Sheikh Hasina and her co-accused with Tejgaon police station, said the deal with Niko caused a loss of over Tk 13,630 crore to the government exchequer.
In the case against Khaleda Zia and her co-accused filed with the same police station, ACC Assistant Director Mahbubul Alam said although Khaleda Zia was the custodian of the country's wealth as the prime minister, she awarded Niko an opportunity to extract gas worth Tk10,000 crore, criminally violating her oath, unlawfully abusing her power, and through corruption.
The case also said she did it in collusion with her co-accused, and issued an order for signing of the illegal deal with Niko.
The co-accused of currently detained Awami League President Sheikh Hasina are -- detained former state minister for energy Rafiqul Islam, former principal secretary to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Dr SA Samad, former energy secretaries Dr Towfiq -e- Elahi Chowdhury and M Akmal Hossain, former Petro Bangla chairman Mosharraf Hossain, and Vice-president (South Aisa) of Niko Research Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif.
The co-accused of Khaleda Zia are detained former law minister Barrister Moudud Ahmed, detained former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain, former acting energy secretary Khandaker Shahidul Islam, and Vice-president (South Aisa) of Niko Research Bangladesh Ltd Kashem Sharif.
The cases mentioned that due to the awarding of the deals to an unskilled company like Niko the blow out at Chhatak gas field occurred, resulting in a huge loss to the sate.
The common accused in both the cases, Kashem Sharif, who is also a close relative of former energy secretary Dr Towfiq -e- Elahi Chowdhury, allegedly persuaded the other accused as a Niko official.
The ACC will investigate the cases and will examine if any body else was involved in making the alleged illegal deals.
Hasina is already charged in three extortion cases -- two filed by individuals while the third was filed by the ACC. Moreover, three more corruption cases against her in connection with Meghnaghat power project, and purchases of Mig-29s and a frigate are also currently being heard in courts.
The ACC also filed a graft case against former prime minister Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, and 11 others in connection with violating tender conditions in appointing GATCO, an indenting house, for handling containers in Dhaka Inland Container Depot (ICD) and in Chittagong Port ICD yard despite the company's lack of experience and skills.
The High Court however quashed two graft cases against Khaleda Zia field during the last AL regime in connection with Khaleda's house decoration and an airbus purchase during one of her tenures as a prime minister.
THE ALLEGATIONS
In 1997 Niko Resources Ltd, Canada participated in a tender bid for oil and gas exploration in Bangladesh but was declared unfit by a committee of the Bangladesh government. Later Niko allegedly in collusion with Hasina and her six co-accused collected secret data about Chhatak gas field and some other gas fields having huge gas reserves.
Niko submitted a letter of intent in favour of itself for exploring the gas fields in Fenchuganj, Chhatak, and Kamta through a joint venture with Petrobangla, allegedly violating proper procedures. Although the proposal was not filed following proper procedures the PMO forwarded it to the energy ministry recommending it to take 'proper actions'. Later in November 1997, the then energy secretary Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury okayed the proposal.
On June 28, 1998, Niko again submitted a proposal to the Bangladesh government for developing the 'marginalised' gas field in Tengratila of Chhatak and the 'abandoned' gas fields in Kamta and Feni, and for extracting gas from those.
The then energy secretary prepared a proposal for the deal, marking the gas fields as 'marginalised and abandoned' and saying an agreement might be signed with Niko through Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Co Ltd (Bapex).
Hasina approved the proposal and her government prepared a draft agreement for Niko in 2001. Hasina also signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Niko awarding it a contract for extracting gas from the three gas fields.
Bangladesh incurred a loss of about 1,794 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas worth Tk 13,630.50 crore due to the deal, according to the case documents.
In 2003, the then prime minister Khaleda Zia, in collusion with her co-accused including former state minister for energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain gave verbal direction to the officials concerned for arranging the signing of a joint venture agreement (JVA) between Bapex and Niko allegedly for personal gains as well as for Niko's benefit.
Through the agreement Niko got an opportunity to extract 1,744 bcf of gas from Chhatak and Feni gas fields putting the country in a loss of at least Tk 10,000 crore, the case alleges. | |