DHAKA, April 10, 2025 (BSS) - A court here today issued arrest warrant against 18 people including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed in a case lodged over taking 10-katha plot through fraud in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK) Purbachal New Town Project.

Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order, accepting formal charge filed in the case.

The court also set May 4 for submitting probe report in the case, ACC public prosecutor Mir Ahammed Salam told BSS.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on January 12, 2025 against 16 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul and submitted the charge-sheet on March 10, adding names of two more accused, bringing the total number of accused to 18.

The other accused in the case are Ministry of Housing and Public Works administrative officer Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, senior assistant secretary Purobi Goldar, additional secretary Qazi Wasi Uddin, secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former Rajuk chairman's personal assistant Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former Rajuk member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmay Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Major (retd) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Md Nurul Islam, Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Md Hafizur Rahman, Habibur Rahman, then prime minister's personal secretary-1 Mohammad Salahuddin and former state minister Sharif Ahmed.

"... Saima Wazed Putul, with malicious intent, illegally influenced her mother, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, and filed an application to her mother rather than to RAJUK, violating the laws, rules, policies and legal procedures regarding the allocation of plots in the Purbachal New City Housing Project. She had done that despite the fact that she and her family members owned a house or flat or housing facility in the area under the jurisdiction of RAJUK in Dhaka city," said investigation officer (IO) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) assistant director Afnan Jannat Keya in the charge-sheet.