Arrest Warrants Issued Against Hasina, Rehana, and Tulip

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and three of Rehana's children over alleged corruption related to land plot allocations by the Capital Development Authority (RAJUK).

On Sunday (April 13), Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib accepted a charge sheet filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and ordered the arrests.

The others named in the warrant include British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and Azmira Siddiq — all children of Sheikh Rehana.

ACC Assistant Director Aminul Islam confirmed the matter in court.

Just days earlier, on April 10, the court had also issued arrest warrants against Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 other individuals in connection with the same case.

The list of accused includes several high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, as well as former RAJUK officials:

• Md Saiful Islam Sarkar (Administrative Officer)
• Purabi Goldar (Senior Assistant Secretary)
• Kazi Wasi Uddin (Additional Secretary)
• Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker (Secretary)
• Md Anisur Rahman Miah (Former PA to RAJUK Chairman)
• Mohammad Khurshid Alam (Former RAJUK Member)
• Kabir Al Asad, Tanmoy Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin
• Retired Major Engineer Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury
• Md Nurul Islam, Sheikh Shahinul Islam (Director)
• Md Hafizur Rahman (Deputy Director), Habibur Rahman
• Mohammad Salah Uddin and Sharif Ahmed — both recently named suspects

According to the ACC, multiple charge sheets were filed on January 12, 13, and 14 of this year. The investigation revealed that six residential plots (totaling 60 kathas) in Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town Project were unlawfully allocated to Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, and their family members, despite them not meeting the eligibility criteria.

The charges allege abuse of power while in public office, with cases filed under Sections 161, 163, 164, 409, and 109 of the Penal Code, along with Section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

Following a mass uprising led by anti-discrimination student groups, Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power on August 5 last year. She has since taken refuge in India.