Court Correspondent :
The Anti-Corruption Commission-ACC has launched an investigation into allegations of embezzling $300 million against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The decision was confirmed by Md Akhtarul Islam, the commission’s Deputy Director of Public relations on Sunday.
A five-strong panel was previously formed to investigate corruption allegations against Hasina and her family members.
he team has been tasked with probing two significant allegations of corruption implicating Hasina and other members of her family, including her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq.
The graft watchdog said that it has received allegations of corruption involving Tk 210 billion in eight priority projects initiated during the Awami League government.
Besides, there are accusations of embezzling TK 590 billion in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
The development came two days after the High Court issued a rule asking why the ACC’s inaction over an alleged transfer of $5 billion from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project to a Malaysian bank by Hasina, Joy, and Tulip should not be declared illegal.
According to ACC documents, the allegations of corruption in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project were brought to light by Bobby Hajjaj, Chairman of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).
The accusations of “embezzling” TK 210 billion through the implementation of projects under Ashrayan, BEZA and BEPZA surfaced from media reports.
Hasina fled to India on Aug 5 in the face of a mass uprising that toppled the Awami League government after 15 years in power. Her sister Rehana accompanied her. Joy resides in the US, while her niece Tulip is a member of the British parliament.
The International Crimes Tribunal has issued arrest warrants against Hasina, Rehana and Joy on the charges of “genocide and crimes against humanity” during the Awami League government’s attempts to suppress the student-led uprising.
They are also named in multiple murder cases filed in connection with the demonstrations.
