ACC likely to quiz Khaleda in GATCO case this week
Sunday, 7 October 2007
Detained former Prime Minister (PM) Khaleda Zia is likely to be quizzed this week in connection with the container handling case filed against her by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), reports UNB.
"The investigation officer (IO) has already filed a petition with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) seeking permission to question and take a statement from the detained former PM. The permission is likely to be granted today (Sunday)," a competent source told the news agency.
If permitted, the source said, the interrogation would take place sometime this week at the sub-jail.
Meanwhile, detained former Health Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was interrogated Saturday at the Dhaka jail gate in connection with the case against Khaleda.
He was one of the members of the purchase committee that awarded the container-handling contract to GATCO.
Sources said an investigation team comprising ACC Deputy Director Jahirul Huda and CID inspector Nurul Islam of Taskforce-23 questioned Mosharraf for an hour from 1:45pm to 2:45pm.
The ACC has already questioned six former ministers, six retired secretaries and one serving additional secretary of the Communications Ministry in connection with the high-profile case.
On September 25, former Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, former LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, former Agriculture Minister MK Anwar and former Information Minister Shamsul Islam were questioned by a three-member investigation team. All these ministers were in the purchase committee that approved the contract.
The same team on September 30 quizzed former Cabinet Secretary and PSC Chairman Sa'dat Hossain, former Shipping Secretary Julfiker Haider Chowdhury and Additional Secretary of the Communications Ministry ATKM Ismail, who was a Joint Secretary of the Cabinet Division at the time of the incident.
The following day (Oct 1), the team questioned former secretary of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Nurul Islam, former Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) Secretary Manik Lal Samaddar, former Economic Relations Department (ERD) Secretary Mirza Tasadduk Hossain Beg and former Energy Secretary Nazrul Islam.
On October 3, a two-member team questioned former State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain in connection with the case.
On September 2, ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 others for their alleged irregularities in awarding the contract.
"The investigation officer (IO) has already filed a petition with the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) seeking permission to question and take a statement from the detained former PM. The permission is likely to be granted today (Sunday)," a competent source told the news agency.
If permitted, the source said, the interrogation would take place sometime this week at the sub-jail.
Meanwhile, detained former Health Minister Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain was interrogated Saturday at the Dhaka jail gate in connection with the case against Khaleda.
He was one of the members of the purchase committee that awarded the container-handling contract to GATCO.
Sources said an investigation team comprising ACC Deputy Director Jahirul Huda and CID inspector Nurul Islam of Taskforce-23 questioned Mosharraf for an hour from 1:45pm to 2:45pm.
The ACC has already questioned six former ministers, six retired secretaries and one serving additional secretary of the Communications Ministry in connection with the high-profile case.
On September 25, former Finance Minister Saifur Rahman, former LGRD Minister Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, former Industries Minister Motiur Rahman Nizami, former Agriculture Minister MK Anwar and former Information Minister Shamsul Islam were questioned by a three-member investigation team. All these ministers were in the purchase committee that approved the contract.
The same team on September 30 quizzed former Cabinet Secretary and PSC Chairman Sa'dat Hossain, former Shipping Secretary Julfiker Haider Chowdhury and Additional Secretary of the Communications Ministry ATKM Ismail, who was a Joint Secretary of the Cabinet Division at the time of the incident.
The following day (Oct 1), the team questioned former secretary of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) Nurul Islam, former Implementation, Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) Secretary Manik Lal Samaddar, former Economic Relations Department (ERD) Secretary Mirza Tasadduk Hossain Beg and former Energy Secretary Nazrul Islam.
On October 3, a two-member team questioned former State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain in connection with the case.
On September 2, ACC Deputy Director Golam Shahriar Chowdhury filed the case against BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, her younger son Arafat Rahman Koko and 11 others for their alleged irregularities in awarding the contract.