A Dhaka court has ordered the freezing of 124 bank accounts connected to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her children, and her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, as part of an ongoing anti-corruption investigation. It also ordered to seize their assets.
The directive was issued on Tuesday by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib, following a petition by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), according to the agency’s spokesman, Akhtarul Islam.
ACC argued that the individuals under scrutiny were attempting to transfer, relocate, or conceal assets, necessitating immediate action to freeze the accounts to ensure a fair investigation.
Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has frozen Tk635 crore across these 124 bank accounts, a measure disclosed during a high-level meeting on anti-money laundering chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus.
During the meeting, Bangladesh Bank presented findings revealing that assets linked to Hasina and her family members had been traced to the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Cayman Islands.
Additionally, investigators have uncovered a Russian "slush fund" deposited in a Malaysian bank account linked to the family, further intensifying scrutiny over their financial dealings.
In a related development, the court has issued a travel ban on Hasina and several family members, who fled to India in the wake of a student-led mass uprising.
The restriction follows another ACC petition related to allegations of large-scale embezzlement in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.
The order applies to Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed, Rehana, and her children Tulip Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
According to the ACC, an estimated Tk 590 billion is suspected to have been siphoned off under the guise of the nuclear power plant’s construction. A five-member team has been formed to investigate the matter and submit a report.
The petition further stated that credible sources had indicated the accused individuals were planning to flee the country with their families.
The ACC warned that their departure would obstruct the investigation and hinder access to crucial evidence, underscoring the necessity of an immediate travel ban.
