A Bangladeshi court has issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wajed Putul, and 17 others over allegations of illegally acquiring a residential plot in Dhaka through fraudulent means.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib accepted the charge sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission , which accuses the defendants of manipulating the allocation process for a plot in the Purbachal New City Housing Project, managed by the state-run Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha . The court has scheduled the next hearing for May 4, directing the ACC to submit an investigation report by then.
According to the ACC, Putul leveraged her mother’s position as prime minister to bypass standard procedures, applying directly to Hasina instead of RAJUK. This action allegedly violated existing laws and policies governing land allocation. The ACC further contends that Putul and her family already owned property within RAJUK’s jurisdiction, rendering them ineligible for additional plots under the housing scheme’s rules.
The case, filed on January 12, 2025, names several co-accused, including former government officials. The court issued arrest warrants after determining that the accused were absconding.
This development adds to the legal challenges facing Hasina, who has been in exile since August 2024 following her ouster amid widespread student-led protests. The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, has initiated multiple legal proceedings against her, including charges of crimes against humanity related to the violent suppression of demonstrations that resulted in over 700 deaths.
The International Crimes Tribunal has previously issued arrest warrants for Hasina and several of her associates, citing allegations of extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances during her tenure. The tribunal has set deadlines for their appearance in court, with the latest being February 12.
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