A Dhaka court today (April 10) issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 others in a corruption case linked to plot allocations by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).
The warrants were issued after Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib accepted the chargesheet submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Aminul Islam, Assistant Director of the Prosecution Division at the ACC Court, confirmed the matter.
He said all 20 accused are reportedly absconding, prompting the court to issue the warrants.
The court also set May 4 for submitting the probe report in the case.
Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on January 12, 2025 against 16 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul and submitted the charge-sheet on March 10, adding names of two more accused, bringing the total number of accused to 18.
The other accused in the case are Ministry of Housing and Public Works administrative officer Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, senior assistant secretary Purobi Goldar, additional secretary Qazi Wasi Uddin, secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former Rajuk chairman's personal assistant Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmay Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Major (retd) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Md Nurul Islam, Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Md Hafizur Rahman, Habibur Rahman, then prime minister's personal secretary-1 Mohammad Salahuddin and former state minister Sharif Ahmed.
"... Saima Wazed Putul, with malicious intent, illegally influenced her mother, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and filed an application to her mother rather than to RAJUK, violating the laws, rules, policies and legal procedures regarding the allocation of plots in the Purbachal New City Housing Project. She had done that despite the fact that she and her family members owned a house or flat or housing facility in the area under the jurisdiction of RAJUK in Dhaka city," said investigation officer (IO) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Afnan Jannat Keya in the charge-sheet.
BDST: 1247 HRS, APR 10, 2025
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