DHAKA, Dec 15, 2021 (BSS) - A Dhaka court on Wednesday re-fixed the 
hearing date on charge framing against BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia and 
16 others in connection with Gatco corruption case on January 23, 2022 by 
replacing the schedule date. 

   Judge Ali Hossen of special court no-3 of Dhaka located at Keraniganj 
Central Jail re-fixed the new date after filing a plea for extending time of 
hearing on charge framing due to absence of Begum Zia for her illness.

   On September 2, 2007, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed the 
case against 13 people, including Khaleda and her younger son Arafat Rahman 
with Tejgaon Police Station on charges of misappropriating around Taka 1,000 
crore while dealing with Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Company Ltd (Gatco).

   On May 13, 2008, the anti-graft body pressed charges against the former 
premier and 23 others. Meanwhile, the names of seven other accused, including 
Khaleda's younger son Arafat Rahman Koko, were dropped from the charge sheet 
following their deaths on different dates.

  The other accused are ex-BNP Minister M Shamsul Islam, former State 
Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources AK Mosharraf Hossen, former 
Minister Dr Khondoker Mosharraf Hossen, former Chattogram Port Authority 
(CPA) Chairman Commodore Julfikar Ali, Jahanara Akber, wife of deceased 
former minister Colonel (retd) Akbar Hossen, and their two sons-- Ismail 
Hossen Saimon and AKM Musa Kazal, former Shipping Secretary Julfikar Haider 
Chowdhury, former CPA member AK Rashid Uddin Ahmed, GATCO Directors Shahjahan 
M Hasib and Syed Tanvir Ahmed and Syed Galib Ahmed, CPA former Chairman ASM 
Shahadat Hossen, former Port Director (transport) AM Sanowar Hossen and 
former Port Member Lutful Kabir.