The Anticorruption Commission Thursday approved a chargesheet against 24 people, including former prime minister Khaleda Zia, in the GATCO corruption case, a senior official said.

"The ACC approved the chargesheet against the 24 people as allegations against them were proved in a primary investigation," ACC director general (administration) Colonel Hanif Iqbal told reporters in his Segunbagicha office.

The accused were responsible for costing the state coffers Tk 14.56 crore in losses, which was proved in the initial investigation, he said.

Former ministers M Saifur Rahman, Abdul Mannan Bhuiyan, Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain and Motiur Rahman Nizami were also accused in the case.

The ACC filed the case on Sept 2 last year with Tejgaon Police Station alleging that GATCO's contract to run the container depot at Chittagong Port was illegal.

The case was brought under the emergency powers rules on Sept 17.

Khaleda's son Arafat Rahman Coco also stands accused of corruption in the case.

Khaleda was arrested on Sept 3 in connection with the case.

The case record shows that a tender was floated on March 1, 2003 to appoint a contractor for the container depots at Chittagong Port and Kamalapur Rail station.

The accused awarded the tender to GATCO even though the company failed to meet all the conditions.

It was alleged in the case that the government incurred more than Tk 1,000 crore in losses because of the GATCO deal.

Govt on course to a free and fair election: CA to Boucher(3C pic16)        
Chief adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed said Thursday the caretaker government continued its efforts to keep promises on reforms, reports bdnews24.com.

The CA's remark came when US assistant secretary of state for South and Central Asian affairs Richard A Boucher and the US State Department's coordinator for counterterrorism Dell L Dailey called on him at the CA's office.

"We kept our promises. Work to implement the Election Commission roadmap is on. The EC is working to prepare the electoral roll with photographs," the CA was quoted as saying by his press secretary Syed Fahim Munaim.

Munaim briefed reporters after the meeting.

According to Munaim, the CA told the US officials that the EC was in talks with political parties in an effort to stop the influence of black money and power abuse in elections.

"You have been here at a very important time when we are moving forward to keep the promise: a free and fair election," the CA was quoted as saying to the US officials.

The CA said the government took a series of steps about reforms. "A Human Rights Commission will be formed. The judiciary has been separated. Bangladesh Public Service Commission, Election Commission and the Anticorruption Commission were reformed."

"We want to transfer power to a new government in a peaceful way. We hope the next government will keep up our reform efforts," the CA said.

Boucher wanted to know about the fields the US could help and the CA referred to various sectors including food, Munaim said.

Boucher also asked the CA about the reforms to political parties. The CA told him that the reform would be done the way the parties wanted, the CA's press secretary said.

Munaim said Dailey lauded Bangladesh for its successes in counterterrorism.

Dailey said the way Bangladesh fought terrorism was the epitome of counterterrorism and expressed interest to work more closely with the country.

The US said it would help those working directly on counterterrorism.

US ambassador James F Moriarty was present at the meeting.