Finish trial within six months: HC

The High Court yesterday directed the lower court concerned to finish within six months the trial proceedings of Gatco corruption case, filed against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia and others in 2007.

It also ordered Gatco directors Syed Galib Ahmed and Syed Tanveer Ahmed to surrender before the lower court in two weeks in connection with the case.

The bench of Justice Md Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam came up with the verdict after hearing a petition filed by Galib and Tanveer seeking cancellation of trial proceedings against them. The HC bench in the verdict also lifted the stay order issued in 2008 on the trial proceedings of the case against Galib and Tanveer.

The HC, however, asked the lower court concerned to consider their bail when they surrender before it.

The Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Tejgaon Police Station on September 2, 2007 against Khaleda, Galib, Tanveer and 10 others, on charges of corruption in awarding the contract for container management at inland container depots in Dhaka and Chattogram to Global Agro Trade (Pvt) Co Ltd (Gatco), causing a loss of over Tk 1,000 crore to the state exchequer, Deputy Attorney General AKM Amin Uddin Manik told The Daily Star.

Barrister Ajmalul Hossain and Advocate Ahsanul Karim appeared for Galib and Tanveer respectively, while Advocate Khurshid Alam Khan argued for the ACC.