DHAKA: A Dhaka special court on Thursday (April 11) deferred to June 24 the hearing regarding forming charges in Gatco corruption case filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

Thursday (April 12) was earlier fixed for the same hearing.

Lawyers of the accused pleaded for adjourning the hearing as the High Court earlier orders a stay for tanvir Ahmed and Galib Hossain, two of the accused.

However, on Thursday, Khaleda’s lawyer advocate Sanaullah Mia appeared before the court on behalf of her.

Responding the time extension plea, Acting Judge Ataur Rahman of Dhaka Special Court-3 installed at Alia Madrasha of Bakshibazar in Old Dhaka fixed June 24 for hearing on forming charges in the case.

On September 2 in 2007, the ACC filed the Gatco corruption case during the military-backed caretaker government against Khaleda Zia, her youngest son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 others.

According to the case documents, the defendants illegally awarded the contract of container handling at the Chittagong port and the Dhaka's Inland Container Depot to a certain firm Gatco, causing a loss of Tk 145.64 million to the state exchequer.

BDST: 1814 HRS, APR 12, 2018
SI