Arrest warrants Hasina, Putul in Purbachal graft case

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 others in a case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over corruption in Purbachal plot allocation.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Ghalib took cognisance of the chargesheet submitted by the ACC and issued the warrants on Thursday.

The other accused in the case are Ministry of Housing and Public Works Administrative Officer Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, Additional Secretary (Administration) Kazi Wasi Uddin, Secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former chairman of RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, or Capital Development Authority) Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former RAJUK members (estate and land) Md Khurshid Alam, member (administration and finance) Kabir Al Asad, member (development control) Tanmay Das, former member (planning) Md Nasir Uddin, retired former member (development) Maj (engineer) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, former member (estate and land) Md Nurul Islam, Deputy Director (Estate and Land) Md Hafizur Rahman, Deputy Director (Estate and Land) Habibur Rahman, and Director (Estate and Land) Sheikh Shahinul Islam.

Aminul Islam, assistant director of the ACC Prosecution Division, said after the court hearing: “The court accepted the chargesheet against 18 suspects. It then issued arrest warrants for the suspects as they are absconding. The court then set May 4 for a report on the execution of the warrant.”

Six cases have been filed against Hasina and members of her family for “misusing their power and through irregularities” receiving plot allocations for the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.