Bangladesh Court Issues New Arrest Warrant for 18 Individuals, Including Former PM Hasina and Her Daughter
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Synopsis
On April 10, a Bangladesh court issued arrest warrants for 18 people, including former PM Sheikh Hasina, over corruption allegations linked to the Purbachal New Town project. The court's order follows multiple charges against Hasina in various corruption cases.
Key Takeaways
- 18 individuals issued arrest warrants including Sheikh Hasina.
- Corruption allegations stem from Purbachal New Town project.
- Anti-Corruption Commission filed charges against Hasina.
- Political vendetta suspected by analysts.
- Hasina vows to return and seek justice.
Dhaka, April 10 (NationPress) A court in Bangladesh has issued an arrest warrant for 18 individuals, which prominently includes former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, as part of a case concerning allegations of corruption related to plot allotment in the Purbachal New Town project, as reported by local media.
The order was given by Dhaka City’s senior special judge, Zakir Hossain, who acknowledged the chargesheet submitted by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The court has mandated a progress report on the execution of the arrest warrant to be submitted by May 5.
In another corruption case regarding plot allotment, a chargesheet has been filed against 23 individuals, which includes Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, and several other family members, according to sources from Prothom Alo, a leading daily in Bangladesh.
Sheikh Hasina faces accusations in six cases concerning irregularities in plot allocations under the Purbachal New Town project.
Last month, a tribunal in Bangladesh issued an arrest warrant for Hasina and four others in connection with alleged mass killings at Shapla Chattar in Dhaka in 2013.
Earlier in January, a special tribunal in Dhaka ordered an arrest warrant for Sheikh Hasina and 11 others over incidents of enforced disappearances.
Interestingly, this tribunal was established by the government led by Sheikh Hasina under the International Crimes (Tribunals) Act to prosecute those responsible for genocide and other crimes during the 1971 Liberation War.
Analysts view these developments as a significant political vendetta orchestrated by the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus, particularly since numerous cases were filed against the former PM and her associates on dubious grounds shortly after her ousting in August 2024.
Hasina, a prominent figure in the fight for democracy in Bangladesh, was forced to flee the country and seek refuge in India on August 5.
In February, while addressing her supporters online from India, the ousted Prime Minister accused the Yunus-led interim government of transforming the nation into a center of terrorism and chaos. She expressed her determination to return and provide justice to suffering families.
She remarked that if Yunus himself recognized his lack of governance experience, he should step down from leadership.
"Yunus lacks the experience to govern effectively. He has disbanded inquiry committees and unleashed violence upon the people. They are ruining Bangladesh. We will remove this terrorist government," stated Hasina.
"I will return. The perpetrators will be held accountable in Bangladesh. Their time for reckoning is coming. Perhaps that is why Allah has kept me alive," she added.
