The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Two wanted former senior ministers Thursday moved from court to court for High Court bail in the Gatco scam case to avert arrest, but to no avail.

MK Anwar and M Shamsul Islam failed to get their separate motions accepted for anticipatory bail after surrendering to the higher court, but the judges evidently gave the bigwigs the cold shoulder. Barrister Ruhul Quddus Kajol, a counsel for the two BNP stalwarts, told UNB that he invoked the motions in two separate division benches, but was "disappointed".

One division bench headed by Justice Khondker Musa Khaled refused to accept the motion for hearing and the other bench headed by M Mozammel Hossain did not pay heed to it on grounds of preoccupation for disposal of today's prescheduled cases, the lawyer said. The second bench, however, advised the counsel to move the petitions next Sunday, the regular motion day, he added.

Anwar and Shamsul Islam are among the top-echelon ministers of the past BNP-led coalition government against whom a metropolitan court on Thursday issued arrest warrants in the GATCO scam case.