Zia's son accused of bribe

DHAKA, Bangladesh, May 7 (UPI) -- Tarique Rahman, son of detained former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, has been accused in a $3.2 million bribe and murder case.

Rahman, arrested a year ago, was charged by the military-backed interim government's powerful anti-corruption commission along with seven others, The Daily Star newspaper in Bangladesh reported.

The charges stem from the 2006 killing of the director of the Bashundhara Business Group. Rahman and others were accused of taking the bribe from the company chairman to get his son's name dropped as the murder accused.

The charges also said Rahman as a leader of his mother's party masterminded the deal. He also faces several other accusations including extortion, the Star report said.

The developments come a day after Khaleda Zia was charged in a kickback case relating to the awarding of gas fields to a Canadian oil company when her Bangladesh Nationalist Party ruled the country from 2001-06, the Press Trust of India reported.

Khaleda Zia has been under detention since last year, accused of corruption and abuse of power.

Sheikh Hasina, another former prime minister and a rival of Khaleda Zia, also is under detention. She is being held for alleged corruption.