The New Nation - Internet Edition

BSS, Dhaka

A Special Court here on Thursday adjourned the charge hearing on the GATCO graft case against former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and others till August 5.

Judge Shahed Nuruddin set the new date when the defence counsels informed him that the High Court division on July 15 had stayed the proceedings of the case on a writ petition filed for Begum Khaleda Zia.

The Court asked them to place the High Court order in the next date.

Earlier, former ministers Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, M Shamsul Islam and others, now detained in jail, were produced before the Court.

But Begum Khaleda Zia was not produced before the Court as she was reported sick.

Former ministers Motiur Rahman Nizami and MK Anwar, released on bail from the High Court, appeared in the court.

Advocate Taherul Islam Touhid appeared in the Court on behalf of Arafat Rahman Koko as the Court exempted him from personal appearance.

The remaining seven accused persons including former Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman were mentioned as absconding in the case.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged the case on September 2 last year with Tejgoan thana against Begum Khaleda Zia, her son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 others.

After investigation, ACC submitted chargesheets against 24 persons including 13 accused in the FIR.

They were accused for giving the contract of container handling in Chittagong Port and Kamalapur ICD in Dhaka to "inexperienced and incompetent" Global Argo-Trade Company Limited (GATCO) violating the bidding rules that caused a loss of Taka 14.56 crore to the state.