A court in Dhaka has ordered the confiscation of ‘Sudhasadan,’ the residence of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, along with additional properties belonging to her family members who are currently in exile in India. An official has reported that 124 bank accounts associated with her family have also been frozen. This ruling was made by Dhaka metropolitan senior special judge Zakir Hossain Ghalib in response to a petition filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
The properties affected by this order include assets owned by Hasina’s son, Sajib Wazed Joy, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and her nieces and nephews, Tulip Siddique and Radwan Mujib Siddique. The residence ‘Sudhasadan’ is named after Hasina’s late husband, nuclear scientist MA Wazed Miah, who was affectionately known as Sudha Miah.
In a related development, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has formally protested to the Indian government regarding what it describes as “false and fabricated” statements made by Hasina on social media and other platforms. In a diplomatic communication to India’s acting High Commissioner in Dhaka, Bangladesh has requested that New Delhi take measures to prevent her from making remarks that are perceived to incite instability.
On August 5, a student-led movement resulted in the ousting of Hasina after weeks of protests and violent confrontations that resulted in over 600 fatalities. The 77-year-old leader subsequently fled to India, leading to the establishment of an interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus.
