Tk 80,000cr graft allegation: ACC to probe Hasina, family
The Anti-Corruption Commission yesterday decided to launch a probe into allegations that Sheikh Hasina and her family members embezzled Tk 80,000 crore from nine priority projects.
The family members facing allegations are Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana's daughter Tulip Siddiq, a British lawmaker.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. The projects are Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, Ashrayan and seven other projects under Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, ACC Director General (prevention) Akhtar Hossain told reporters yesterday.
"The decision to investigate Sheikh Hasina and her family members was made at a meeting of the commission," he said.
According to a complaint filed with the ACC, the aforementioned individuals embezzled Tk 59,000 crore from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant through several banks in Malaysia.
Another complaint said Hasina embezzled Tk 21,000 crore from Ashrayan and seven other projects by abusing power and fraud.
The development came two days after the High Court issued a rule questioning the legality of the ACC's inaction and failure to investigate into an allegation against Hasina of embezzling money from the Rooppur plant.
Nationalist Democratic Movement Chairman Bobby Hajjaj filed the petition, referring to reports published by different newspapers.
Hasina fled to India on August 5 in the face of a mass uprising led by students.
In another development, the ACC filed cases against former education minister Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, former additional deputy commissioner (Detective Branch) Harun or Rashid, his wife Shirin Akhtar, and his brother ABM Shahriar.
The case statement says Nawfel acquired illegal assets worth Tk 2.94 crore, Harun Tk 17.51 crore, Shirin Tk 10.76 crore, and Shahriar Tk 12.96 crore.
The graft watchdog also sued Hasina's former personal assistant Jahangir Alam and his wife Kamrun Nahar.
Jahangir was accused of illegally acquiring Tk 18.29 crore and Kamrun Tk 6.80 crore.
evidence of suspicious transactions of Tk 626 crore in his bank accounts, said sources.
ACC sources said around Tk 626.65 crore was deposited across 23 accounts in eight banks. The accounts are of Jahangir and entities he owns. Of the sum, Tk 624.60 crore was withdrawn.
The ACC investigators deem these transactions highly irregular and suspicious, they added.
The former prime minister during a press conference on July 14 shared how one of her former "peons" accumulated over Tk 400 crore and enjoyed extravagant helicopter trips.
Without mentioning his name, she said she took action against him.
That night, the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit froze the bank accounts of Jahangir and Kamrun for 30 days.
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