Staff Reporter :
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court has ordered the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to freeze 31 bank accounts of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family.
The order to freeze accounts includes Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and their related organisations over corruption allegations against them.
The organisations whose bank accounts have been ordered frozen include Bangladesh Awami League and Jatir Janak Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Trust. They deposited Tk 394,60,72,805.71 in these bank accounts.
Judge Md Zakir Hossain passed the order on Tuesdayafter ACC Deputy Director Md Monirul Islam, who is leading the inquiry team, submitted an application in this regard.
In the application, the ACC said Hasina and others are trying to transfer the money from these accounts. So, an order is needed to prevent them from doing so.
On March 11, the same court ordered the ACC to freeze 124 bank accounts of Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, five of their family members and their related organisations over corruption allegations against them.
The five other family members are Joy, Putul, Rehana’s husband Shafiq Ahmed Siddiq, their family members Bushra Siddiq and Shaheen Siddiq.
The same court also issued travel bans on Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Rehana’s son RadwanMujibSiddiq Bobby, daughters Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq Ruponti after an application was submitted in this regard.
On December 17, 2024, the ACC launched a probe into allegations of embezzlement totallingTk 80,000 crore against Hasina and her family members from nine projects, including the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
The commission on December 22, 2024, also launched an investigation against Hasina and Joy over allegations of laundering $300 million to the United States.
On March 10 this year, the ACC approved the charge sheets against Hasina, Rehana, and four of their family members in six cases filed against them over the alleged misuse of power to obtain plots under the Purbachal New Town Project.
On March 11, the court also ordered the confiscation of Sudha Sadan, a property registered to Sheikh Hasina’s children, and immovable assets of Sheikh Rehana and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
On the other hand, ACC has filed two separate cases against former member of parliament form Munshiganj-3 constituency Mrinal Kanti Das and his wife, Nilima Das, for illegally acquiring assets worth over Tk 3 crore.
ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain confirmed this information at the commission’s headquarters in Segunbagichaon Tuesday. Mrinal Kanti Das was named as an accused in both cases.
Mrinal Kanti Das has been accused of acquiring illegal wealth worth Tk 1.55 crore. Moreover, he allegedly conducted suspicious transactions worth Tk 2.41 crore in eight bank accounts under his name.
Meanwhile, Nilima Das has been accused of acquiring illegal wealth worth Tk 1.45 crore. Furthermore, she allegedly conducted suspicious transactions worth Tk 16.19 crore in 30 bank accounts under her name.
