A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 27 others in connection with two separate graft cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over alleged irregularities and forgery in the allocation of plots by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK). The court of Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib passed the order on Tuesday after accepting the ACC’s charge sheets in both cases. One case involves 12 accused while the other names 17 individuals. As all the accused were reportedly absconding, the court proceeded with issuing the warrants.

The accused include current and former government officials such as Mo. Saiful Islam Sarkar, Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Secretary Mo. Shahid Ullah Khandaker, and several high-ranking RAJUK officials. Although the full list of names in one of the cases was not disclosed, the charges stem from allegedly securing unauthorized plot allocations in the Purbachal housing project through abuse of power while holding public office.

The ACC had earlier filed multiple charges against members of Sheikh Hasina’s family, including her sister Sheikh Rehana and daughter Tulip Siddiq, for allegedly obtaining plots without applying through proper channels, and without disclosing them in official affidavits. The anti-graft body claims to have evidence that a total of 60 kathas of land were illicitly allocated in Sector 27 of the Purbachal project to individuals unqualified under standard rules.

Sheikh Hasina, who has been residing in India since August 5 following a mass uprising led by students and citizens, has not returned to Bangladesh since. The charges include violations under various sections of the Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act, alleging abuse of authority and misappropriation of public resources.