DHAKA -- Members of the Anti-Corruption Commission taskforce on Monday interrogated former prime minister Sheikh Hasina at jail in connection with a bribery case filed against her and six others on September 2.

The commission claimed that the investigation team had completed necessary questioning of Hasina in the case.

A four-member team, including investigation officer Morshed Alam, army major Humayun Kabir, accompanied by Toufique Newaz, a counsel for Hasina, went to the sub-jail on Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban premises at about 11:30am and questioned the Awami League president for one and a half hours.

Coming out of the sub-jail, Hasina's lawyer Toufique Newaz told reporters that the AL chief had refused to answer the questions of the investigators, as she did not receive any prior notice.

'I did not receive any prior notice, and I don't know what charges have been brought against me, so how can I talk to you. I can talk to you only after being informed about the matter by my counsel and it might take some two weeks,' Newaz quoted the former prime minister as telling the team.

The ACC, however, claimed that the investigation team had completed necessary questioning of Hasina in connection with the graft case.

'Investigation officer and the members of the taskforce have completed the questioning as much as needed. The job has been completed as it was supposed to be. The task has been completed as per the process of the law,' ACC secretary Mokhles ur Rahman told newsmen during the commission's regular briefing as reported by the United News of Bangladesh.

Asked for comments on the claims that Hasina was not informed in a proper way about the matter, he said, 'if anyone is in jail he or she is informed through prison authorities and the taskforce has questioned her in this way'

'I have given you the information which I have received from the IO and the taskforce members,' he added.

ACC deputy director Shabbir Hasan filed the case with the Tejgaon police station, accusing Hasina of accepting bribes of Tk 3 crore from two power companies - Summit Group and United Group.

The complainant claimed that the companies had paid the kickbacks to Hasina between October 24, 1996 and November 24, 1997 in exchange for permission to set up a barge-mounted power plant in Khulna. Hasina allegedly took the bribe to buy land for Bangabandhu Memorial Trust.

Metropolitan magistrate, Mizanur Rahman on October 23 permitted the investigation officer to question the former prime minister.

On October 11, ACC officials questioned another detained former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia at a makeshift jail in connection with the GATCO corruption case filed against her and 12 others, including her youngest son Arafat Rahman on September 2.

Replying to a question, the ACC secretary said that setting up of five more special courts to try corruption cases was under process and the courts would be set up immediately.

To a query as to where these five special courts would be set up, he said the government would decide it.

Mokhles, however, said there were some cases in Chittagong, therefore a special court could be set up there.

Asked whether the commission would be able to reach its target of completing trials of 150 corruption suspects by 2008 given the current pace, he said if the rule was amended allowing a complainant to be the investigation officer and if the number of special courts was increased, then the target could be achieved.

In this context, he mentioned that the appeals of 9 out of 15 verdicts had already been lodged with the higher court.

The ACC secretary said that the commission had directed its law wing to take necessary measures to settle the cases in phases.

He said that of the cases filed against individuals ranging from government employees to ministers for the last two decades, 526 writ petitions and 967 revision cases have been lodged. 'For this, the government has suffered huge losses while individuals have been benefited,' he added.

Mokhles said that the commission had decided to contest these cases in phases and the law section of the commission had been directed to take necessary measures. 'This can be done on the basis of year, profile or dimension.'

He said the commission has approved filing of first information report (FIR) against joint tax commissioner (appellate) Harunur Rashid Bhuiyan for acquiring wealth beyond his known sources of income.

Meanwhile, sources said, the commission on Monday approved filing a case against detained AL joint general secretary Obaidul Kader for concealing information and acquiring wealth disproportionate to his known source of income.

The commission also approved submission of charge sheets in the cases against former state minister Salauddin Ahmed and former lawmaker Mufti Shaidul Islam.

The ACC secretary informed the briefing that detained former BNP lawmake for Cox's Bazar Alamgir M Mahfuz Ullah Farid and protocol officer of land ministry Kutub Uddin Ahmed had submitted their wealth statements through prison authorities.