The Anti-Corruption Commission has sent two letters to the Police headquarters, requesting the police to take measures to secure an Interpol red notice for the arrest of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy in connection with two corruption cases.
The commission in January filed the cases with its integrated district office in Dhaka-1 over alleged corruption in allotting Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha鈥檚 land plots in the capital鈥檚 Purbachal New Town project area.
ACC deputy director for public relations Aktarul Islam revealed the information at a press briefing at the commission鈥檚 headquarters in Dhaka on Thursday.
ACC assistant director Afnan Jannat Keya, also investigating officer of a case filed against Hasina, sent a letter to the inspector general of police Baharul Alam, seeking steps for issuing a red notice against the deposed prime minister through Interpol.
The letter stated that 鈥楧uring the investigation, it was found that the accused, Sheikh Hasina, is currently staying abroad. In the interest of justice, the honorable court has issued an arrest warrant to locate her and bring her back to face the law.鈥�
鈥業n this situation, the honorable court鈥檚 order, arrest warrant, copy of the first information report, copy of the charge sheet, and the completed red notice form are attached herewith for necessary actions,鈥� said the letter.
ACC assistant director SM Rashedul Hasan, also investigation officer, filed a similar letter to the police chief regarding Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The letters also included the names, national identity numbers, parents鈥� names, passport numbers, and addresses of both Hasina and Sajeeb.
In April this year, police officials said that the National Central Bureau of Bangladesh Police has submitted a request to Interpol seeking a 鈥榬ed notice鈥� against 12 people, including Sheikh Hasina.
Enamul Haque Sagor, assistant inspector general at the Police Headquarters, said at that time that the NCB branch makes such requests to Interpol based on appeals received from courts, public prosecutors, or investigating agencies.
The police officials, however, are yet to inform about the progress of the request.
Sheikh Hasina has been staying in India since her ouster from power on August 5, 2024 amid a student-led mass uprising and Sajeeb has long been residing in the United States.
On Thursday, five more prosecution witnesses testified in three cases filed against Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and others over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots in the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.
The witnesses are Ministry of Housing and Public Works鈥� office assistants Delwar Hossain and Shafiqul Islam, and National Board of Revenue鈥檚 tax inspector Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, stenographer and computer operator Rezaul Haq and notice server Abu Taher.
The five witnesses testified in the court of Judge Robiul Islam of Dhaka Special Judge鈥檚 Court-4.
After their testimony, the court fixed September 21 as the next date of hearing in the cases.
During the hearing, four lawyers had applied to the court to provide legal assistance to Sheikh Hasina in the cases.
But, they were not allowed to fight the case because Sheikh Hasina is a 鈥筬ugitive鈥� in the eyes of the law.
The four lawyers are Morshed Hossain Shaheen, Imran Hossain, Sheikh Farid and Md Topu.
ACC prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said, 鈥業f the accused in the ACC case is a fugitive, there is no opportunity to fight the case on his or her behalf.鈥�
One of these cases was lodged against 17 people, including Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and Rehana鈥檚 daughter Tulip Siddiq. Another case was lodged against 18 people, including Azmina Siddiq, Tulip, and Hasina. The other case was lodged against 18 people, including Rehana鈥檚 son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Tulip, and Hasina.
On August 28, three officials of the anti-graft body testified in the cases.
On August 13, three plaintiffs of these cases testified against Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Tulip Siddiq, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq and others in the cases.
On August 11, the same three officials testified in three other identical cases against Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and others before Dhaka Special Judge Court-5.
Seven seizure-list witnesses also testified in those cases on August 26.
On September 2, six more witnesses testified in the three cases.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun fixed September 17 for the next hearing in the cases.
Hasina is accused in all three cases, and Sajeeb and Saima are accused in one case each.
One of these cases was lodged against 12 people, including Hasina, another against 17, including Hasina and her son Sajeeb, and the other case was lodged against 18 people, including Hasina and her daughter Saima.
On July 31, the court framed charges against Hasina, Sajeeb, Saima and other accused in the cases filed in January.
On March 10, the ACC approved charge sheets against 29 people, including Hasina, in the six cases.
The other accused are housing and public works ministry鈥檚 former state minister Sharif Ahmed, Hasina鈥檚 former personal secretary Salahuddin, the ministry鈥檚 former secretary Mohammad Shahid Ullah Khandakar, additional secretary Kazi Wachi Uddin, additional secretary Md Waliullah, administrative officer Mohammad Saiful Islam Sarker, and senior assistant secretary Purbhi Goldar, Rajuk鈥檚 former chair Mohammad Anisur Rahman Miah, former member Mohammad Khurshed Alam, member Kabir Al Asad, member Tanmoy Das, member Mohammad Nurul Islam, former member Mohammad Nasir Uddin, retired member Major Samsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury, former member Shofiul Haque, director Sheikh Shahinul Islam, director Kamrul Islam, deputy directors Mohammad Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, former deputy director Nayeb Ali Sharif, and assistant directors Faria Sultana and Mazharul Islam.
In January, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the six cases with its integrated district office in Dhaka-1 against Hasina, Rehana and their five children over irregularities in the allotment of six plots on Road 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project.