5-strong committee to investigate Hasina, family members over 'corruption'

The team will probe accusations of irregularities in eight mega projects worth nearly Tk 210 billion

The Anti-Corruption Commission, or ACC, has launched a formal investigation into allegations of corruption involving deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her family members including her son and sister.

The five-strong team led by ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin have been tasked with getting to the bottom of the accusations of financial misconduct in eight mega projects of the ousted Awami League government worth nearly Tk 210 billion.

The team will also dig into claims of irregularities involving approximately Tk 590 billion in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project.

The national graftbusters will also investigate the potential involvement of Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, sister Sheikh Rehana, and her daughter Tulip Siddiq -- a British MP and minister responsible for tackling corruption in UK financial markets -- in these corruption cases.

ACC Director General Akhter Hossain made the announcement on Tuesday.

According to the ACC documents, the allegations of corruption in the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project were brought to light by Nationalist Democratic Movement Chairman Bobby Hajjaj.

Allegations of “Tk 210 billion worth of fund embezzlement” in the eight projects overseen by the Ashrayan housing project, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority, or BEPZA, and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, or BEZA were raised in media reports.

Additionally, allegations surfaced regarding the "embezzlement of Tk 210 billion" across eight projects under the Ashrayan housing scheme.

The ACC’s decision to open an inquiry came two days after the High Court issued a rule on Hasina and her family members on Dec 15.

This is the first initiative to investigate the allegations of widespread corruption during the Awami League’s rule.