DHAKA: The High Court on Wednesday deferred the cause-list to fix date for hearing on a rule in the Global Agro Trade Corporation (Gatco) corruption case against 24 people, including BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia.

An HC bench comprising Justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury and Justice JBM Hasan granted a week time to Khaleda Zia’s lawyer keeping the appeal in the cause-list on February 4.

Khaleda’s lawyer Mahbub Uddin Khokon, in their two-week time petition, said that it is the lone bench of HC to hear cases filed by ACC. We appealed to the Chief Justice to add more benches.

Besides, people will get wrong message about the court if hearing on the rule starts amid ongoing political situation. So, more time needed to fix the date for hearing.
 
Lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan moved for the ACC. The anti-graft body on Monday appointed him.

Earlier, the appeal came up in the Wednesday’s 16 no. Cause List of the High Court to fix a date for hearing on the rule.

On Tuesday, ACC lawyer Khurshid Alam Khan urged the HC bench to fix a date for starting hearing again.

Earlier, Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed a case of corruption of Tk 1000 crore for the employment of contractors in Chittagong Port and Kamalapur Container Terminal in Dhaka.

An HC vacation bench comprising Justice Ashfaqul Islam and Justice AKM Zahirul Haque rejected the petition.

Chittagong Port former director Lutful Kabir appealed for the cancellation of the case.

The case was filed against 24 people, including former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia. The names of two people were dropped due to their death.

The court also postponed the trial procedure of Khaleda Zia’s part of the case in response to her appeal.

On September 2 in 2007, the ACC filed the case with city’s Tejgaon Thana and later the court framed charges against the defenders on July 2008.

BDST: 1515 HRS, JAN 28, 2015