Court seeks update on arrest warrants for Hasina, 17 others by May 18

A Dhaka court on Sunday has set May 18 as the new date for the submission of the execution report on arrest warrants issued against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 others in a graft case involving fraudulent allocation of a 10-katha plot in the capital’s Purbachal New Town Project.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge M Zakir Hossain Galib fixed the date after police failed to submit the report on May 4, as originally scheduled.

On April 10, the court took cognizance of charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and issued arrest warrants for 18 individuals, including top former and current government officials and politicians.

According to the ACC, Saima Wazed, despite her family owning multiple residential properties in Dhaka under RAJUK’s jurisdiction, concealed this information and unlawfully obtained a plot in Purbachal by abusing her mother’s position as Prime Minister. The case alleges that public officials were improperly influenced to facilitate the allocation.

The charges include abuse of power, criminal breach of trust, and conspiracy under the Penal Code and the Anti-Corruption Commission Act.

The case was originally filed on January 12, 2025, by ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya, who later submitted a charge sheet on March 10 against 18 individuals. Sixteen witnesses have been listed in the charge sheet.