Staff Reporter :
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated the process to bring back ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her niece, former UK Minister Tulip Siddiq, according to ACC Commissioner Brigadier General (retd) Hafiz Ahsan Farid. The announcement was made on Tuesday at a press conference at the ACC office in Segunbagicha, Dhaka.
“We have started the work. The ACC has begun the process to bring them back,” said Hafiz Ahsan while addressing the media.
Following the assumption of office by the interim government, several legal cases have been filed against Sheikh Hasina and her family members.
These cases include charges of murder, enforced disappearances, corruption, fraud, and abuse of power. Additionally, the ACC has filed six cases against the Hasina family over allegations of power abuse and forgery related to acquiring 60 katha plots in a RAJUK housing project.
Regarding the efforts to bring Tulip Siddiq back to Bangladesh, Hafiz Ahsan confirmed that the ACC had sent a Mutual Legal Assistance Request (MLAR) to the Ministry of Home Affairs, which would be processed through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From there, the documents will be sent to the Bangladesh embassy, and the process of extraditing Tulip Siddiq will be undertaken.
Although the Commissioner did not elaborate on the exact legal procedures for her return, he emphasized that Tulip Siddiq, a Bangladeshi citizen holding a National ID and passport, will be treated as such despite being abroad when the case was filed. Letters related to the case have been dispatched to her Bangladeshi address.
“We are currently in discussions with international anti-corruption agencies, and we will receive their assistance once agreements are finalized,” Hafiz Ahsan added.
This marks the beginning of legal proceedings and international collaboration in the efforts to return both Sheikh Hasina and Tulip Siddiq to Bangladesh for further legal action.
