The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday extended the bail granted earlier to former Prime Minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia in the Gatco scam case until disposal of its rule pending with the HC.

Passing the order on a petition, a division bench comprising Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain and Justice Quamrul Islam Siddiqui also extended its earlier stay on the operation of the trial proceedings until the case is resolved.

On September 2 last year, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case with Tejgaon police station against Khaleda and her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and others for graft in awarding Gatco, a greenhorn, the contract for container handling at depots in Dhaka and Chittagong.

The anticorruption watchdog alleged that the state coffer incurred a loss of over Tk 14 crore for kickbacks over the deal.

On May 13 this year, the ACC submitted charge sheet against Khaleda, Koko and 22 others, including her eight former cabinet colleagues.

Most of the bigwigs were arrested during massive anti-graft drives following the 1/11 change of guards in state power. And they are now out on bail following a change of wind with the start of election process in the country.