The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has lodged three separate cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and Rehana's three children – Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Azmina Siddiq and Tulip Rizwana Siddiq – over allegations of abusing power to obtain plots from the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain (Prevention) confirmed on Monday that the cases had been filed at the anti-graft watchdog’s Dhaka Integrated District Office.
Sheikh Rehana, along with her son Radwan and daughter Azmina, has been named as the key accused in each case, while Tulip Siddiq and Hasina are named as accomplices. Each case names between 12 and 13 others as accused.
Earlier, on Sunday, the ACC filed another case against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed and 14 others for allegedly misusing power to allocate a 60-katha plot in Sector 27 of the Purbachal Residential Area.
The plot, reportedly registered under Saima’s name despite her ineligibility, is at the centre of the controversy.
The ACC claims that Hasina abused her position as head of government to unlawfully facilitate the allocation.
According to ACC findings, Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima, sister Rehana and Rehana’s children received 60-katha plots in the diplomatic zone of the Purbachal New Town Project.
These allocations were allegedly made through collusion with Rajuk officials.
On December 27, the ACC announced its decision to investigate irregularities surrounding these allocations.
The investigation follows Sheikh Hasina’s ouster on August 5 after a student-led mass uprising, which forced her to flee to India. She remains in exile there.
Separately, on December 22, the ACC launched an inquiry into allegations that Hasina and her son Joy had laundered $300 million (~Tk30,000 crore) abroad.
The ACC assigned a five-member team to investigate this claim alongside allegations of corruption amounting to Tk80,000 crore linked to various projects during Hasina’s tenure.
Hasina faces growing pressure from activists demanding her extradition and trial for alleged human rights violations, including enforced disappearances and killings under her regime.
The International Crimes Tribunal last year issued two arrest warrants for her for crimes against humanity.
The interim government recently announced that it had revoked Hasina’s passport and formally requested her repatriation through an official letter to the Indian government.
While Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s administration has confirmed receiving the request, no decision has yet been announced.