Another arrest warrant issued against Hasina, son over graft charges

A court in Bangladesh on Tuesday issued fresh arrest warrants against deposed PM Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wajed and 16 others in two cases related to alleged irregularities in allocating residential plots on the outskirts of the capital.

“Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s court issued the warrants in two cases over the irregularities in acquiring plots in Purbachal New Town, taking into consideration the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) chargesheets,” a court official said.

According to a prosecution lawyer, most accused were government officials.

The court ordered police to submit a report on April 29 if the now self-exiled ex-premier and other accused were arrested. Judge Zakir Hossain directed officers-in-charge of over a dozen police stations in Dhaka and other parts of the country to submit progress reports on executing his order by that date as the ACC said all of them were fugitives, the official added.

The same court earlier issued arrest warrants against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wajed Putul, her sister Sheikh Rehana, British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq and 48 others in connection with the alleged illegal acquisition of land by abusing political power.

Hasina is also accused of numerous charges like mass murders and crimes against humanity, enforced disappearances while these cases were being filed with Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal. Hasina’s 16-year-long regime was toppled on August 5 last year.

World