The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has decided to reopen its investigation into alleged corruption involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the Bangabandhu Novotheater project.
A senior ACC official confirmed the development to the Dhaka Tribune on Tuesday.
The allegations, which date back to March 27, 2002, were initially raised during the BNP-Jamaat coalition government.
At the time, the now-defunct Bureau of Anti-Corruption filed three cases against Sheikh Hasina, who was then the Leader of the opposition.
The cases were based on alleged irregularities in decisions made by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) concerning the Novotheater project.
These decisions reportedly led to inflated expenses for project consultants, building construction, and administrative personnel.
Sheikh Hasina was named the prime accused in all three cases, with the number of co-accused varying between seven, eight, and twelve in the respective cases.
The complaints were filed by police inspector Mohammad Ibrahim and ACC official Khan Md Mijanul Islam.
During Sheikh Hasina’s tenure as Prime Minister in 1996, ACC investigations reportedly uncovered that Tk120 crore was misappropriated through irregular appointments of contractors and consultants for the Novotheater project.
Further controversy arose when, just two days before her term ended in 2001, ECNEC approved the project with only six members present, violating procedural requirements.
In 2002, cases were filed at Tejgaon Police Station against Sheikh Hasina and five former ministers: Shah AMS Kibria, ASHK Sadek, Tofail Ahmed, Matia Chowdhury, and Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir.
Of the five, three have since passed away.
The ACC is now revisiting these allegations, with a focus on scrutinizing the irregularities and determining how Tk120 crore was allegedly misappropriated.
According to commission sources, this renewed investigation could see Sheikh Hasina and others implicated in the case face legal proceedings once again.
