A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 124 bank accounts belonging to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and two other family members.
The order was issued by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib on Tuesday following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
ACC spokesperson Akhtarul Islam confirmed Dhaka Tribune that accounts belonging to Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed have also been frozen.
The Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has frozen Tk635.14 crore across these accounts.
Bangladesh Bank revealed these details at a meeting on anti-money laundering chaired by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus.
Additionally, BFIU has frozen a 60-katha plot under Rajuk valued at Tk1.80 crore, a 10% landholding worth Tk8.85 crore, and eight flats linked to Sheikh Hasina, her family, and their associated individuals and entities.
At a subsequent press briefing, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam disclosed that assets linked to Hasina’s family have been traced in the United States, United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands.
A Russian “slush fund” has also been identified in a Malaysian bank account, said the CA press secretary.
Travel ban on Hasina family over Rooppur corruption scandal
In a separate ruling, the court has barred Sheikh Hasina and her family members from leaving the country amid allegations of massive embezzlement in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
The court order also applies to her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s three children — Tulip Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order on Tuesday in response to an ACC petition.
According to the ACC, a five-member team is investigating claims that Tk59,000 crore was siphoned off under the guise of the nuclear power plant’s construction.
The ACC’s petition warned that the accused are attempting to flee the country, which could delay the probe. To ensure a proper investigation, a travel ban has been deemed necessary.
However, according to media reports, all accused are now outside the country following the mass uprising on August 5.
