Arafat Rahman Koko, younger son of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, died of heart failure at his rented house in Kuala Lumpur of Malaysia yesterday. Koko complained of chest pain around 12:00noon and told his brother-in-law Md Shimpu about it, Atiqur Rahman Rummon, a close aide to Koko's elder brother Tarique Rahman, told The Daily Star. Shimpu, who lives with Koko's family in Malaysia, phoned a nearb
y hospital for an ambulance. A doctor came to the house by an ambulance and announced Koko dead around 1:30pm, said Atiqur after talking to Shimpu over the phone. Koko was 45. He had left the country for Bangkok for treatment in July, 2008 after getting out of jail on parole. However, his parole was cancelled on August 19, 2010 for violating its terms, and was asked to return home. But he didn't come back and moved to Malaysia, along with his wife and two children. In September 2007, he, along with his mother, was detained by joint forces from their cantonment residence in connection with the Gatco corruption case during the tenure of the last caretaker government that assumed office following a political turmoil. Advertisement While in jail, he was accused in four other cases on various charges including money laundering and extortion. Koko was awarded six years' imprisonment on June 23, 2011 in the money laundering case. Khaleda last met her two sons together in July, 2011 in Singapore when she went there for treatment. Tarique, who left the country for the UK after his release from prison on parole, went to Singapore from London and Koko from Malaysia. The wife of Khaleda's younger brother Shameem Iskander informed her about Koko's death around 2:30pm, said party insiders. As the news of Koko's death spread, leaders of BNP and its allies thronged the BNP chief's Gulshan office to console her. Khaleda has been staying there since she was barred from getting out early this month. She, however, refused to leave the office even after additional law enforcers, deployed there at that time, were withdrawn on January 19. Koko's body was kept at the mortuary of Malaysia University Hospital in Ampang. His first namaz-e-janaza will be held at Nagala Mosque in Kuala Lumpur after Zohr prayers today. His body may be flown to Dhaka either tomorrow or the day after. Koko left behind his wife Syeda Shamila Rahman, and two daughters -- Zafira Rahman and Zahiya Rahman. Koko's sudden death has put BNP policymakers in a dilemma whether to continue the ongoing nationwide blockade or suspend it for his burial. However, minutes after meeting Khaleda yesterday evening, BNP leader Rafiqul Islam Mia, said the BNP chairperson urged the party men to carry on the agitation to restore people's democratic rights. Eight hours after Koko's death, BNP in a press release at 8:00pm officially informed the media about it. The party announced programmes including recitation of the Holy Quran and doa mahfil in mosques across the country today and tomorrow. CASES AGAINST KOKO Like his elder brother and Senior BNP Vice Chairman Tarique, Koko was accused of making money by abusing state power when his mother was prime minister between 2001 and 2006. He was sued for his alleged involvement in corruption, extortion and money laundering. MONEY LAUNDERING On June 23, 2011, Koko and Ismail Hossain Saimon, son of former shipping minister, were sentenced to six years' rigorous imprisonment for laundering over Tk 20 crore to Singapore. They were fined Tk 38.83 crore each in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission on March 17, 2009. According to the charges, Koko and Saimon received Tk 19.71 crore in bribe from German telecom giant Siemens and Chinese engineering firm China Harbour Ltd to win them telecom and terminal-building contracts. They later siphoned the money off to Singapore. The ACC said it brought back 20.41 lakh Singapore dollars laundered by Koko and his associates in 2012. GATCO GRAFT CASE Koko also faced another corruption case filed by the ACC on September 2, 2007. Koko and his mother were charged for illegally awarding container-handling job at two container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong to Global Agro Trade (Private) Co Ltd (Gatco). The High Court stayed the case proceedings. ILLEGAL WEALTH Koko was sued by the ACC on April 23, 2008 for concealing information about properties worth Tk 11.20 lakh and illegally amassing wealth worth Tk 2.23 crore which was disproportionate to his known sources of income. The case was stayed in 2008. EXTORTION He was also accused in an extortion case filed by a proprietor, Add Media Ltd, on May 16, 2007. The plaintiff alleged that Koko and two of his brothers-in-law extorted Tk 1.20 crore from him. The case was stayed following an HC order. TAX EVASION National Board of Revenue on March 1, 2010 filed a case against Koko, accusing him of evading Tk 52.39 lakh of his income tax between 2002-2003 and 2006-2007 fiscal years. The case is pending at Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court.
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