Purbachal plots: ACC to probe Hasina, family

The Anti-Corruption Commission has started investigation into the allegations of abuse of power to obtain plots of land against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her close family members.

Aktar Hossain, director general (prevention) of the ACC, yesterday confirmed this development to journalists at the ACC headquarters in the capital.

He said, “The ACC has decided to look into allegations of irregularities in the allocation of plots in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha’s Purbachal New Town project in the names of six members of Hasina’s family.”

According to the ACC documents, Hasina, in collaboration with Rajuk senior officials, had six plots of land allotted to herself, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, younger sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and her daughter Azmina Siddiq.

The six plots, each measuring 10 kathas, are in the diplomatic zone of sector-27 in the Purbachal New Town project.

This is the fourth probe by the ACC against Hasina, after her fall on August 5. For the first time, Saima, Rehana’s son Radwan, and her daughter Azmina are facing corruption probes.

On December 17, the commission formed a five-member team to probe the graft allegations of Tk 80,000 crore in different projects against Hasina, her son Joy, and daughter Rehana and her daughter Tulip Siddiq.

The anti-graft body on December 22 decided to look into the accusation of laundering $300 million against Hasina and her son Joy.

CASES AGAINST NASRUL, Family

The ACC has filed three cases against former state minister for power Nasrul Hamid, his wife, and his son, accusing them of amassing illegal wealth worth Tk 64.23 crore and in connection with suspicious transactions of Tk 3,222 crore. Nasrul has been named in all three cases, ACC official Aktar informed reporters of the development yesterday.

According to the case details, Nasrul acquired immovable and movable wealth worth Tk 36.37 crore, which is inconsistent with his known sources of income. He also conducted unusual and suspicious transactions through 98 bank accounts to his name, amounting to Tk 3,181.58 crore, most of which was withdrawn. The ACC investigation confirmed these transactions to be linked to money laundering offences.

In the second case, Nasrul’s wife, Seema Hamid, is accused of possessing illegal assets worth Tk 6.99 crore and conducting unusual and suspicious transactions of Tk 12.78 crore via 20 bank accounts.

In the third case, his son, Zareef Hamid, possessed assets worth Tk 20.88 crore that is inconsistent with his declared sources of income. Additionally, suspicious transactions of Tk 27.71 crore were discovered through 20 bank accounts under Zareef’s name during the ACC investigation.

The ACC launched its inquiry against Nasrul on August 22. Nasrul went into hiding after August 5.