ZCZC
BSS-13
HEARING-GATCO-KHALEDA
Indictment hearing in Gatco graft case adjourned till April 30
DHAKA, April 17, 2019 (BSS) – A Dhaka court today adjourned till April
30 the hearing in Gatco graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia
and others as the prime accused were absent like last few hearing dates.
Judge Abu Syed Dilzar Hossain of the Dhaka Special Judge Court -3 resent
the date for holding indictment hearing in the case.
Today was set for holding hearing on charge framing, but the jail
authorities couldn’t produce Khaleda Zia before court as she is undergoing
treatment at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU).
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against 13 people,
including Khaleda and her younger son Arafat Rahman on September 2, 2007,
with Tejgaon Police Station for their role in corruption regarding penning a
contract with Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Co Ltd (Gatco) for container management
at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.
Formal charge was submitted against 24 on May 13, 2008. But of the 24
accused, six including Arafat, Saifur Rahman and Matiur Rahman Nizami have
died so far.
The BNP chairperson later filed two writ petitions with the High Court
challenging the legality of bringing the case under emergency power rules and
sought stay on the proceedings of the case in the trial court.
The High Court on July 15, 2008, stayed the trial proceedings of the
case and issued separate rulings in this regard.
BSS/CORR/JUB/MHR/IJ/1510 hrs