Purbachal plot scam: Tulip sued alongside Hasina, Rehana, Bobby by ACC
Desk report: The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has filed three separate cases against Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and her younger daughter Azmina Siddiq for allegedly acquiring government plots in the Purbachal New Town Project from Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) by abusing power.
UK’s anti-corruption minister Tulip Siddiq, who is the eldest daughter of Sheikh Rehana, has also been sued in the cases, ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain said at a press briefing at the anti-graft watchdog’s headquarters in the capital today (13 January).
This is the first time Tulip has been sued in a criminal case in Bangladesh.
Officials of Rajuk and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works have also been accused.
Akhtar said they recommended naming Tulip as one of the accused as the ACC’s investigation team has found that she used her influence to illegally get plots allocated to her family members by manipulating her aunt Hasina’s power.
Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina are accused of obtaining three plots, each 10 katha, totalling 30 katha from Road 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 in the Purbachal New Town Project.
ACC official Akhtar further said, “In Rehana’s case, 15 people have been named as accused, while 16 people have been implicated in each case against Bobby and Azmina.”
The anti-graft watchdog yesterday (12 January) filed another case against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 14 others over allegations of illegally acquiring similar plots in the Purbachal New Town Project.
The 14 accused include 10 officials of Rajuk and four officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
“Saima Wazed abused Sheikh Hasina’s power to take the allotment of Plot 017 on Road 203 under Sector 27 of Purbachal New Town Project, despite owning a house or flat or having housing facility within the jurisdiction of Rajuk in Dhaka city, in her or her family members’ names,” said Akhtar while briefing reporters yesterday.
On 26 December last year, the ACC launched an inquiry against Hasina, Rehana, Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Saima, Bobby, Azmina, and officials of organisations involved over allegations of illegally acquiring 60 katha of government plots.
Talking to reporters that day, Akhtar had said the Sheikh family members secretly and illegally acquired six 10-katha plots on Road 203 under Sector 27, which was in the proposed Diplomatic Zone of the Purbachal New Town Project.
“They obtained the allotment of the plots by abusing their power, through various irregularities, and in collusion with high-ranking officials at Rajuk,” he told reporters.
Earlier, the High Court had formed a three-member committee to investigate irregularities in the allocation of the 60 kathas in plots.
Hasina and her family members took possession of the plots in 2022, after which the matter was classified as highly confidential.
According to the final allocation letter signed by Naib Ali Sharif, deputy director (estate and land-3) of Rajuk, the price was set at Tk3 lakh per katha, amounting to Tk30 lakh for each 10-katha plot.
Hasina was allocated Plot 9 on Road 203 of Sector 27. The allocation letter in her name was issued on 3 August 2022.