NN Online:
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) of Bangladesh has sought information from 10-12 countries regarding allegations of money laundering against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, UK City Minister Tulip Siddiq, and their family members. The development was confirmed by ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain at the commission’s headquarters in Segun Bagicha yesterday.
Akhtar Hossain stated that mutual legal assistance requests have been sent to collect both informal information and evidence from overseas authorities. However, he refrained from disclosing the names of the countries from which information has been sought.
The Sunday Times reported that officers from Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA) visited Dhaka in late January to assist ACC investigators. The British media also quoted an ACC spokesperson suggesting that Bangladesh may seek to extradite Siddiq once its inquiries conclude.
Tulip Siddiq, a former Labour MP who resigned from the UK government on 14 January following an ethics review, is currently under three ACC inquiries. The allegations against her include benefiting from a nuclear power plant deal, influencing her aunt to allocate land to family members, and laundering illicit funds.
The ACC initiated its probe on 17 December last year, investigating allegations that Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, niece Tulip Siddiq, and other family members embezzled Tk80,000 crore from various development projects during the Awami League regime.
On 13 January, Tulip and her relatives were sued by the anti-graft body over claims that they unlawfully acquired government plots in the Purbachal New Town Project through the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk). Subsequently, on 15 January, the ACC launched another investigation into corruption, abuse of power, illegal acquisition of government land, money laundering, and accumulation of illicit assets both in Bangladesh and abroad.
The investigation is ongoing as international cooperation intensifies in tracking the alleged financial misconduct of the former ruling family’s members.
