The Anti-Corruption Commission on Thursday sent a letter to the Election Commission recommending legal actions against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for allegedly providing false information in her election affidavit in 2008.
ACC chair Mohammad Abdul Momen revealed the information at a press briefing at the commission鈥檚 headquarters in the capital鈥檚 Segun Bagicha.
The asset declaration submitted by Sheikh Hasina to the EC before the 2008 general elections does not match her income tax returns, Momen said.
鈥楿pon analysing the relevant documents, the commission has identified significant inconsistencies in聽 the declared asset information,鈥� he said.
The ACC recommended the EC to take actions against the deposed prime minister under the Representation of the People Order, 1972 for allegedly furnishing false information in the election affidavit.
Noting that there are two components to this issue, the ACC chair said, 鈥極ne component has already been referred to the EC for appropriate legal action.鈥�
The second part, which involves inconsistencies between the asset statement in the affidavit and the income tax records, will be addressed by the ACC, he said, adding that a legal action by the ACC is under process in this regard.
According to ACC findings, Sheikh Hasina submitted a wealth statement to the commission on September 2, 2007.
The ACC reviewed Hasina鈥檚 income tax records and the affidavit submitted to the EC as a candidate for the ninth national parliamentary elections in 2008.
Hasina, in her asset declaration to the ACC, said that she had a total of 9.308 acres of immovable property -- acquired by inheritance and through purchasing. The value of the purchased lands, 4.118 acres, was found to be worth Tk 1,75,000.聽 She also declared movable assets worth Tk 3,24,87,344.
However, analysing her asset declaration, the ACC found a total of 28.411 acres of immovable property in her name. Of the immovable assets, she bought 16.966 acres of land and its value was quoted to be Tk 33,66,010, and the worth of the total movable asset was quoted to be Tk 5,18,10,154.
Besides, in the affidavit submitted to the Election Commission on November 19, 2008 as a candidate in the ninth Jatiya Sangsad elections, Sheikh Hasina mentioned owning 6.50 acres of land while the value of her purchased land was shown to be Tk 1,75,000.
She also declared that her movable assets were worth Tk 34,69,9,904.
But the ACC found that Hasina provided false figures in the election affidavit by concealing the information about 21.911 acres of land she owned and Tk 3,191,010, the value of her purchased land.
She also concealed her ownership of a vehicle worth Tk 1.93 crore in her affidavit, according to ACC findings.
After the ouster of the Awami League government amid a student-led mass uprising on August 5, 2024, Sheikh Hasina fled to India and she is still staying in that country.
On March 10, the ACC submitted charge sheets against 29 people, including Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, in six cases filed on charges of corruption in allotting Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha land plots in the Purbachal New Town project.
Hasina and her family members received allotment of six plots in the Purbachal New Town by abusing power, violating rules, and concealing information.
A Dhaka court has recently also issued an arrest warrant for Hasina in connection with Purbachal plot fraud cases.
The ACC on December 17, 2024 also launched an inquiry into allegations of embezzlement and corruption involving Tk 80,000 crore in nine mega projects by Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed, Sheikh Rehana, and Sheikh Rehana鈥檚 daughter Tulip Siddiq who lost her minister鈥檚 job in the UK.
The anti-graft agency, on December 22 the same year, also decided on another inquiry into allegations of laundering $300 million abroad by Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed over.
Hasina is also facing a huge number of cases filed on charges of killing and genocide.