The Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Court on Tuesday ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission to seize 124 bank accounts and assets of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and their family members and related organisations including the Awami League over the allegations of corruption.
The court also issued a travel ban on Hasina, Rehana and their five other family members for their suspected involvement in graft.
Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Md Zakir Hossain passed the orders accepting petitions submitted by ACC deputy director Monirul Islam.
The court ordered the seizure of properties belonging to Sheikh Hasina鈥檚聽son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana and Rehana鈥檚 children Tulip Siddiq and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
The assets to be seized include land and buildings in Dhanmondi, including the 16 katha plot along with 鈥楽udha Sadan鈥� as well as a 0.2640-acre plot under the Housing and Public Works Ministry鈥檚 layout plan in the Dhanmondi residential area.
These properties, including the Sudha Sadan, are registered in the names of Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul.
Sudha Sadan is the residence of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina who fled to India amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024.
Hasina lived there briefly during the army-backed caretaker government in 2007-2008.
She contested and won the 2008 election from this house before moving to her official residence Ganabhaban as a prime minister.
The court also ordered the ACC to seize properties owned by Sheikh Rehana, including 9.6 per cent of land in two deeds in the Mouchak Union of Kaliakair upazila in Gazipur and an apartment in the Eastern Villa in the capital鈥檚 Segunbagicha area.
The court also ordered the seizure of an apartment in the Eastern Harmony Building in Gulshan, owned by Sheikh Rehana鈥檚 daughter and British lawmaker Tulip Siddiq, as well as a seven-storey building on a 0.0201-acre plot in the Gulshan鈥檚 Niketan area, owned by Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
The court also ordered the ACC to seize 124 bank accounts of Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, and their family members and related organisations. They have Tk 577.85 crore deposited in these bank accounts.
Of the bank accounts, 17 bank accounts belong to Sheikh Hasina, six bank accounts belong to the Awami League, five bank accounts belong to Sajeeb Wazed, and five accounts belong to Saima Wazed.
Besides, the court also ordered to freeze the bank accounts of Sheikh Rehana, Father of The Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Memorial Trust, Centre for Research and Information, Shuchona Foundation, Bangabandhu Memorial Museum, Abu Siddique Memorial Trust, Shafiq Ahmed Siddique, Shaheen Siddique, and Bushra Siddique.
The ACC in the petition mentioned that Hasina and others were trying to transfer the money from these bank accounts.
The same court, responding to a petition of the ACC, also issued travel bans on Hasina, Rehana, Sajeeb Wazed, Saima Wazed, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq.
All the seven people are, however, reportedly staying aboard.
ACC deputy director Monirul Islam submitted the petition seeking the travel bans, saying that the commission is inquiring over allegations of embezzling Tk 59,000 crore from the project for constructing the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The ACC on Monday approved the charge sheets against Hasina, Rehana, and four of their family members in six cases filed against them over the alleged misuse of power to obtain plots under the Purbachal New Town Project.
On December 17, 2024, the ACC launched a probe into allegations of embezzlement of Tk 80,000 crore against Hasina and her family members from nine projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Project.
On December 22, 2024, the commission also launched an investigation against Hasina and Joy over allegations of laundering $300 million to the United States.
