A Dhaka court today issued arrest warrants against 18 people, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, in a case filed over irregularities in allocation of plots under the Purbachal New Town project.
Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order after accepting charges brought against them.
The judge directed the officers-in-charge of Dhaka, Dhanmondi, Banani, Mohammadpur, Motijheel, Ramna, Uttara, Mirpur, Kafrul, Gazipur Sadar, Cumilla's Muradnagar, Gopalganj's Kashiani, Laxmipur's Ramgati, Chattogram's Banskhali, Sherpur Sadar, Faridpur Sadar and Mymensing's Tarakanda to submit progress reports on the execution of the arrest warrants issued against Hasina and others by May 4.
On March 25, Anti-Corruption Commission Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya, also investigation officer of the case, submitted the charge sheet against Hasina, Putul and sixteen other accused in the case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission official with its Dhaka Integrated District Office on January 12.
According to the case statement, Putul, the prime accused, concealed information about her and her family's ownership of the housing or apartments within the jurisdiction of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
According to the ACC documents, Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, had six plots of land allotted to herself, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Putul, younger sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and her daughter Azmina Siddiq, in violation of existing regulation.
The six plots, each measuring 10 kathas, are in the diplomatic zone of Sector-27 in the Purbachal New Town project.
On December 17, 2024, the ACC launched a probe into allegations of embezzlement totalling Tk 80,000 crore against Hasina and her family members from nine projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The commission on December 22, 2024 launched an investigation against Hasina and Joy over allegations of laundering 300 million dollars to the United States.
The 16 others are Saiful Islam Sarkar, administrative officer; Purabi Goldar, senior assistant secretary; Kazi Wasi Uddin, additional secretary (administration); and Shahid Ullah Khandaker, secretary of housing and public works ministry; and Rajuk officials -- Anisur Rahman Mia, former chairman; Md Khurshid Alam, member (estate and land); Kabir Al Asad, member (administration and finance); Tanmoy Das, member (development and control); Md Nasir Uddin, former member (planning); Major (engr) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury (retd), former member (development); Md Hafizur Rahman, deputy director (estate and land-3); Md Habibur Rahman, deputy director (estate and land-3); Sheikh Shahinul Islam, director (estate and land-2); and Md Nurul Islam, member (estate and land); Mohammad Salahuddin, former personal secretary to the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina; and Sharif Ahmed, former housing and public works state minister.
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