Arrest warrant issued against Hasina, 17 others in Rajuk plot scam

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against 18 individuals, including former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, in connection with a case filed over the allocation of a 10-katha plot through fraud in the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) Purbachal New Town Project.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib issued the warrants Thursday (10 April) after accepting the formal charge sheet submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

The court also set 4 May for submission of the probe report, ACC Public Prosecutor Mir Ahammed Salam told BSS.

The ACC filed the case on 12 January against 16 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed and submitted the chargesheet on 10 March, adding two more names and bringing the total number of accused to 18.

According to the chargesheet, Saima Wazed influenced her mother to allocate a plot by bypassing legal procedures.

"Saima Wazed Putul, with malicious intent, illegally influenced her mother, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and filed an application to her mother rather than to Rajuk, violating the laws, rules, policies and legal procedures regarding the allocation of plots in the Purbachal New City Housing Project.

"She had done that despite the fact that she and her family members owned a house or flat or housing facility in the area under the jurisdiction of Rajuk in Dhaka city," said Investigation Officer and ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya in the chargesheet.

Among the accused, four Ministry of Housing and Public Works officials are Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, administrative officer; Purobi Goldar, senior assistant secretary; Qazi Wasi Uddin, additional secretary; and Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, secretary.

Other accused are Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former Rajuk chairman's personal assistant; and former Rajuk members Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmay Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Major (retd) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Md Nurul Islam, Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Md Hafizur Rahman, and Habibur Rahman. The accused also includes then prime minister's personal secretary-1 Mohammad Salahuddin and former state minister Sharif Ahmed.