Bangladesh court grants bail to ex-PM's son

DHAKA (Reuters) - A Bangladesh court granted bail on Thursday to Tareque Rahman, elder son and political heir of detained former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, lawyers and officials said.

Police broke up protests on Wednesday by supporters of Khaleda's Bangladesh Nationalist Party demanding the release of the ex-premier and her ailing son, who has been seeking to go abroad for medical treatment.

"With the latest court action Tareque has been granted bail in all the 13 cases against him," Tareque's lawyer told reporters. "So he is likely to be released soon."

Tareque was arrested in March last year during an anti-corruption drive launched by the country's army-backed interim government after it took power in January, 2007 following deadly political violence.

More than 170 key political figures including Khaleda's rival, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, have been detained for alleged corruption. More than 50 of them have been convicted.

Hasina and Khaleda's second son Arafat Rahman were paroled over the last two months to seek treatment abroad.