A Dhaka court on Tuesday fixed March 3 to hold a hearing on charge framing in Gatco graft case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others.

Acting Judge Nazrul Islam of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-3 set the date in response to a time plea of the defence.

Today was set for holding hearing on charge framing, but prime accused Begum Khaleda Zia failed to appear before the court on health ground, making her counsels plead for time.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case against 13 people including Khaleda Zia and her younger son Arafat Rahman on September 2, 2007, with Tejgaon Police Station for their role in corruption regarding penning a contract with Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Co Ltd (Gatco) for container management at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chattogram.

Formal charge was submitted against 24 on May 13, 2008. But, of the 24 accused, six including Arafat, Saifur Rahman and Matiur Rahman Nizami have died so far.

Khaleda is in jail since February 8, 2018, the day she was convicted in a graft case. She was shifted to Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Hospital on April 1, 2019 and has been undergoing treatment there since then.

In wake of Covid-19 pandemic on March 25 last year, Khaleda’s sentence was suspended for six months and later that suspension was extended. Currently she is staying in her Gulshan house.

BDST: 1315 HRS, JAN 26, 2020
AP/SMS