A court in Dhaka has ordered the seizure of former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s Dhanmondi residence, ‘Sudhasadan,’ along with several properties belonging to her family members currently in exile in India. Additionally, 124 bank accounts linked to her family have been frozen, an official confirmed.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Ghalib issued the order on Tuesday following an application by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
Sheikh Hasina’s late husband, nuclear scientist MA Wazed Miah, was affectionately known as “Sudha Miah,” and their residence, ‘Sudhasadan,’ was named in his honor.
Apart from Sheikh Hasina, the court-ordered asset seizures also affect her son Sajib Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, and her niece and nephew, Tulip Siddique and Radwan Mujib Siddique.
Bangladesh Protests Hasina’s Statements from India
Tensions between Bangladesh and India have escalated following Hasina’s exile. On February 6, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs lodged a formal protest with the Indian government over what it called “false and fabricated” statements made by Hasina on various platforms, including social media, allegedly aimed at inciting instability in Bangladesh.
A protest note was handed over to the Acting High Commissioner of India in Dhaka, urging India to take “appropriate measures” to prevent Hasina from making “false, fabricated, and incendiary statements” while in India.
Sheikh Hasina’s Ouster and Bangladesh’s New Interim Government
On August 5, Sheikh Hasina was ousted from power following a massive student-led movement that lasted for weeks and resulted in violent clashes, leaving over 600 people dead. The 77-year-old former prime minister fled to India, and an interim government led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus was subsequently established.
The political landscape in Bangladesh remains volatile, with the new government facing pressure to restore stability while navigating diplomatic tensions with India over Hasina’s continued influence from exile.