A Dhaka court on Thursday issued arrest warrant for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul and 16 others in a case over irregularities in plot allocations of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
Judge of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Court Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order after accepting the chargesheet submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The rest of the accused those face the arrest warrants include Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, administrative officer at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Senior Assistant Secretary Purbi Goldar; Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin; Secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker; former personal assistant to Rajuk chairman Md Anisur Rahman Miah; former Rajuk members Mohammad Khurshid Alam; Kabir Al Asad; Tanmoy Das; Mohammad Nasir Uddin; retired Major Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury; Md Nurul Islam; Director Sheikh Shahinul Islam; Deputy Directors Md Hafizur Rahman; Habibur Rahman; Mohammad Salah Uddin; and Sharif Ahmed.
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Aminul Islam, assistant director of the ACC’s prosecution division, said the court also set May 4 for submitting a report on the execution of the arrest warrants.
The ACC filed the case against the accused on January 12.
According to the case statement, accused Saima concealed the fact that she and her family members already owned properties, including houses or flats, within areas under Rajuk’s jurisdiction, such as Dhaka’s Dhanmondi residential zone.
Despite this, she allegedly abused the influence of her mother to secure a plot in the Purbachal New Town Housing Project, violating relevant laws, regulations and procedures.
Sheikh Hasina abused her power and breached public trust by influencing officials responsible for the allocation process when she was prime minister, according to the statement.
Through collusion, the accused unlawfully facilitated the allocation of Plot No. 17 on Road No. 203 in Sector 27 of the Purbachal to Saima, despite her being ineligible and without paying the legally required fees.
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Saiman later took physical possession of the plot and had it registered under her name.
Following an investigation, the anti-graft commission submitted the chargesheet on March 10 against 18 accused.