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New charges for Bangladesh ex-PM New charges for Bangladesh ex-PMs
(about 2 hours later)
New corruption charges have been announced against former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. New charges have been announced against two former Bangladesh PMs, Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina.
Sheikh Hasina, who has been in custody since July, is already facing charges of extortion and murder. Sheikh Hasina, in custody since July, faces new corruption charges in addition to those of extortion and murder. She denies them all.
Bangladesh's anti-corruption commission has now accused her of taking illegal payments from a private electricity firm totalling $435,000 (£215,000). Khaleda Zia now also faces corruption charges. She has not yet been arrested and also denies any wrongdoing.
Sheikh Hasina, the head of one of the two main political parties, the Awami League, denies the charges against her. Bangladesh has been under emergency rule since January when the army-backed interim government cancelled elections.
Bangladesh has been under emergency rule since January when the army-backed interim government cancelled elections and promised to tackle corruption. It vowed then to tackle corruption and has arrested 150 senior politicians while banning most political activity.
It has arrested 150 senior politicians and has banned most political activity. Bitter rival
'Politically motivated' In the latest charges against Sheikh Hasina, the head of the Awami League, Bangladesh's anti-corruption commission accuses her of taking illegal payments from a private electricity firm totalling $435,000 (£215,000).
In the latest charges, the anti-corruption commission said Sheikh Hasina had taken the money when she was in power between 1996 and 2000. The commission said Sheikh Hasina had taken the money when she was in power between 1996 and 2000.
It has charged six other people, including former senior officials, along with her. It has charged six other people, including former senior officials.
This is the first charge brought against Sheikh Hasina by a government body, so is seen to carry more weight than the others, says the BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka.This is the first charge brought against Sheikh Hasina by a government body, so is seen to carry more weight than the others, says the BBC's Mark Dummett in Dhaka.
Sheikh Hasina is being held in a house in the parliament complex.Sheikh Hasina is being held in a house in the parliament complex.
Her supporters say she is innocent and that the charges have been brought to stop her standing for office again. Her bitter rival, Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia, was also facing criminal charges over tax evasion allegations.
Sheikh Hasina is the daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh to independence from Pakistan in 1971. On Sunday, the anti-corruption commission alleged she used her influence illegally to determine the operators of two state container depots.
Her bitter rival, Bangladesh Nationalist Party leader Khaleda Zia, also faces criminal charges over tax evasion allegations. It is the first corruption case made against her and has sparked speculation she may be arrested.