ACC Seeks ‘Red Notices’ for Former PM Hasina, Son Joy

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy (File photo)

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has requested the Police Headquarters to issue “red notices” for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, following ongoing investigations into multiple corruption and fraud cases.

According to ACC officials, the letters were sent on Wednesday, based on findings from two separate plot fraud cases. One of the letters noted that Hasina is currently staying abroad, and in the interest of justice, the court issued an arrest warrant to confirm her whereabouts and ensure she faces trial. The ACC has asked authorities to attach the court order, arrest warrant, complaint copies, charge sheets, and completed red notice forms when processing the request.

Sheikh Hasina has been in India since being ousted during the mass uprising on August 5, 2024, with the rest of her family also residing abroad.

The ACC’s investigations, which began in December, center on allegations of irregularities and corruption in the allocation of six 10-katha (7,200 sq ft) plots in Purbachal New Town. On January 12, the ACC filed its first case against Hasina’s daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, for abuse of power and rule violations in the land allocations. The following day, additional cases were filed against Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and daughter Azmina Siddique Ruponti.

On January 14, the ACC filed two more cases against Hasina and her son Joy on similar charges. Sheikh Hasina is now named as a suspect in all six cases, while some other family members are implicated in multiple cases. In total, 23 individuals are accused in connection with the six Purbachal land allocation cases.

The ACC alleges that Hasina and her family misused their positions of power to obtain plots in Sector 27 of Purbachal New Town, despite being ineligible under the law. On July 31, two special judges’ courts in Dhaka framed charges against the former prime minister, her sister, and their children, officially initiating the trial in the corruption case involving the six plots.

The ACC’s request for red notices marks a significant step in ensuring accountability and pursuing legal action against high-profile individuals accused of corruption, reinforcing the agency’s commitment to combating abuse of power at the highest levels.