Gatco graft case: Indictment hearing deferred to Sept 24

A court in Dhaka on Tuesday deferred the charge frame hearing in a graft case against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 14 others to September 24.

Judge Ali Hossen of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 is scheduled to hold the hearing today. But the defendant’s lawyers filed a petition seeking time.

Later,  Judge Ali Hossen accepted the plea and set the new date.

Lawyer Masud Ahmmed Talukder was at the court on behalf of the BNP chief.

On September 2 in 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against 13 people, including Khaleda and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko with Tejgaon Police Station on charges of misappropriating huge money while dealing with Global Agro Trade (Pvt.) Company Ltd (GATCO).

Next day, Khaleda Zia and Koko were arrested. The case was included in the Emergency Powers Act on September 18 at the same year.

On May 13 in 2008, the anti-graft body pressed charge sheets against the BNP chief and 23 others, inflicting 11 in the case.

Later, the names of eleven accused, including Khaleda’s younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, were dropped out of the charge sheet following their deaths on different dates.