Dhaka:Amid a protracted campaign within former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia's party to clip her 'unlimited powers,' her archrival and another ex-Premier Sheikh Hasina now appears to be under growing pressure to retire from politics.

The pressure on Hasina, both within and outside her Awami League (AL) party, was mounting to retire from politics, 'The Daily Star' reported today.

The report follows the recent revival of two graft cases against Hasina by the military-backed interim government regarding purchase of MiG-29 fighters and a frigate for the Air Force and Navy during her tenure as the Prime Minister.

The latest crackdown on senior AL leaders, including its General Secretary Abdul Jalil, and Hasina's cousin Sheikh Selim, known to be loyal to her, has dealt her a severe blow.

According to the mass circulated 'Prothom Alo' and other newspapers, she was exposed to more crisis as Jalil reportedly told investigators that black money holders used to get easily party nominations in elections while Hasina exercised her "absolute power" in making such decisions.

Arrested businessmen and former President of the apex body of the country's business chambers, Abdul Awal Mintoo, admitted during interrogation that a Korean company had given bribe of one crore taka to Hasina to sell their frigate to the Bangladesh Navy.

The High Court on Tuesday set August 1 and 7 for hearing on her petitions for quashing the cases filed during the rule of four-party alliance led by Zia.

Also, a Dhaka court two days ago asked for a supplementary probe report to be placed on July 1 on the October 28 Paltan killing case filed against Hasina and 45 others. The taka three crore extortion case against her too is under investigation.