Graft busters seize GATCO files from Kamalapur ICD

FE Team | Published: October 24, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Members of the taskforce investigating the GATCO case against former prime minister Khaleda Zia went to the Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (ICD) Tuesday and seized four files on transactions with the GATCO, reports bdnews24.com.
The taskforce members stayed at the ICD for about five hours from 10:00 am and observed the activities of GATCO there.
The taskforce, led by ACC deputy director Zahurul Huda, included joint income tax commissioner Shamimur Rahman, army officer Major Mostafa Kamal, CID inspector Nurul Islam and some other army personnel.
The team first went to the administrative building and seized all files related to GATCO's transactions with the Chittagong Port Authority, which date back to 2004. Later at 3:00pm, they entered the restricted area of the ICD and observed the activities of GATCO.
In connection with the investigation of the same case, three members of the anti-corruption taskforce including the investigation officer of the case Zahurul Huda on September 12 examined relevant papers at the Chittagong Port building.
Zahurul Huda told the news agency Tuesday: "We seized four files on transactions for the sake of proper investigation. We went inside the ICD to watch the GATCO activities."
Kamalapur ICD deputy traffic manager Madhusudan Das said, "The taskforce members, who had also come here several times before, checked and took away the files."
He said, "They did not take away the files, but kept them with me so that normal activities are not hampered."
ACC deputy director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury on Sept 2 filed the GATCO corruption case with Tejgaon Police Station. The case was brought under the emergency powers rules on Sept 17. Thirteen people, including former prime minister Khaleda and son Arafat Rahman Coco, stand accused.
The case details say a tender was floated on March 1, 2003 for appointing a contractor to Chittagong Port and Kamalapur ICD. The accused persons in collusion with each other handed GATCO the job though it did not meet the conditions of the bidding.
The case alleged that the deal cost the government Tk 10 billion (1,000 crore) in losses.
Meanwhile, UNB adds: A team of the army-led special taskforce engaged in the current anti-corruption drive has stormed into the National Housing Authority Bhaban on the premises of the Housing and Public Works Department and camped there to monitor its activities.
Witnesses said a team of the taskforce, led by Lt. Col. Abdul Khaleq, appeared at the National Housing Bhaban at about 11:00 am. "Officials and employees looked panicky at the sudden appearance of the force," said a spot account of the scene.
After monitoring affairs of the department, they set up a temporary office on the ground floor of the building to discharge their duties.
The foray into the Housing Bhaban has come a day after another team of the taskforce visited and camped at the Nagar Bhaban of Dhaka City Corporation.
Abdul Quayum, chairman of the National Housing Authority, told reporters that the taskforce members had contacted him for last one month in this regard.
"The taskforce members would scrutinise service rules as well as ways to improve the Department's services for the city-dwellers. They would also closely monitor if there is any irregularity," he said.
He also said the special taskforce would be running its office temporarily in the department.
Under the ongoing drive launched by the interim regime against corruption and crime, troops of the taskforce are taking position in important public-service institutions mired in allegations of rampant corruption. They have also made a makeshift office at RAJUK Bhaban, where a number of suspected corrupt officials have earlier been arrested.