An anti-corruption panel in Bangladesh has launched a probe against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family in connection with allegations of embezzlement of US$5 billion at the Rooppur nuclear power plant.
Indian companies are participating in the construction of the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant being built by Russian state-owned Rosatom in Bangladesh. The first Bangladeshi nuclear power plant, the Russian-designed Rooppur, is being built 160 kilometers west of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka.
Along with Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her niece and British Finance Minister Tulip Siddiq were also questioned, BDNews reported on Sunday. The report said there are allegations of embezzlement of US$5 billion in the Rooppur nuclear power plant project.
The report said the development comes two days after the High Court issued a ruling asking it to investigate the alleged transfer of US$5 billion from the Rooppur nuclear power plant project to a Malaysian bank by Hasina, Joy and Tulip. Why should the inaction of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) not be declared illegal?
According to ACC documents, allegations of corruption in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project were brought to light by National Democratic Movement (NDM) president Bobby Hajjaj.
Hasina, 77, has been living in India since August 5, when she fled the country following massive student-led protests that ousted her 16-year-old government. His sister Rehana was with him. Joy lives in America, while her niece Tulip is a member of the British Parliament.
The Bangladesh-based International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) has issued arrest warrants against Hasina and several former cabinet ministers, advisers and military and civilian officials for “crimes against humanity and genocide”.
His name is also in several murder cases registered in connection with the protests.
