[JURIST] Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed [party profile; JURIST news archive] on Monday denied accusations of corruption during questioning by officials from the country's anti-corruption commission [governing statute, PDF], according to Hasina's lawyer. Hasina was questioned at the converted prison where she has been held since her July arrest on charges [JURIST report] that she allegedly extorted approximately $1.16 million from two businessmen. In September, Hasina was charged with another count of corruption [JURIST report] relating to a bribe supposedly taken from a Bangladesh power company.

Hasina is also charged with other counts of corruption and with murder [JURIST reports] stemming from the deaths of four protesters during political turmoil last October. She is among some 150 leading Bangladeshis arrested by the new interim government since emergency rule was declared [JURIST report] in January. Hasina was prime minister between 1996 and 2001 and is the the leader of the opposition Awami League [party website]. The interim government has also filed corruption charges against Hasina's rival, former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia [UN profile]. Reuters has more.