A Dhaka court has issued a production warrant against incarcerated BNP chief Khaleda Zia in the GATCO graft case.
In addition to that order, Jan 16 has been fixed as the day to frame charges against her in the case.
Judge Abu Syed Dilzar of Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 gave the orders on Thursday (Jan 10). It means that Khaleda will now have to be produced in court for the case hearings.
The former prime minister’s counsels pleaded for more time for indictment but the prosecution, Mosharraf Hossain countered saying that the High Court has ruled that he matter be disposed of within six months.
The Anti Corruption Commission counsel also pleaded that a production warrant be issued in addition to indicting Khaleda, who is now serving time.
According to the case documents, Khaleda stands accused of causing a loss of Tk 145.63 million to the state exchequer by awarding a container-handling job at Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Dhaka and at Chittagong Port to GATCO.
Challenging the legality of the case, Khaleda Zia, placed a writ asking for the dismissal of the case, which resulted in the case being held in limbo at the lower court for eight years.
Dismissing the writ, the high court ordered Khaleda Zia to surrender on Feb 23, 2016. After surrendering on Apr 5, 2016, Khaleda Zia, received bail.
On Sep 2, 2007, ACC’s deputy-director, Md Golam Shahriar, lodged a case against 13 people at Tejgaon thana. The list included formers ministers, M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Maulana Motiur Rahman, Khaleda Zia’s younger son Coco and others.
The case now has 20 accused persons including, MK Anwar, Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Dr Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain, AKM Mosharraf Hossain and others. Of the accused, a former minister, MK Anwar has died.