Ask Interpol to issue arrest warrant against Putul

A Dhaka court yesterday ordered authorities to take steps to get an arrest warrant issued through Interpol against Saima Wazed Putul, daughter of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in connection with charges of irregularities in plot allocation in Purbachal New Town.

Judge Md Zakir Hossain of Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court passed the order following an application by the Anti-Corruption Commission, said its Public Relations Officer Md Aktarul Islam.

On April 10, the same court issued arrest warrants against 18 people, including Hasina and Putul, after accepting the charges against them over the plot allocation irregularities.

The court, on that day, directed officers-in-charge of over a dozen police stations in Dhaka and other parts of the country to submit progress reports on the execution of the arrest warrants by May 4.

On March 25, ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya, also the investigation officer in the case, submitted the charge sheet against the 18 accused, showing them as fugitives.

She appealed to the court to issue arrest warrants against them.

According to ACC documents, Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, had six plots allotted to herself, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Putul, younger sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and Rehana's daughter Azmina Siddiq, in violation of relevant rules.

The ACC filed six separate cases over alleged irregularities in the allocation of the six plots, each measuring 10 kathas, in the diplomatic zone of Sector-27 in the Purbachal New Town project.

The case against Hasina, Putul and 16 others was filed with the ACC's Dhaka Integrated District Office on January 12.