The High Court of Bangladesh on Sunday has issued a ruling questioning the Anti-Corruption Commission’s (ACC) failure to investigate allegations of embezzlement involving $5 billion (Tk 60,000 crore) from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project. The ruling, delivered by Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf, asks why the ACC’s inaction in addressing these serious charges should not be declared illegal.
The writ petition, filed by Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) Chairman Bobby Hajjaj, challenges the lack of an inquiry into the alleged embezzlement involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter-in-law Tulip Siddiq. The petition names 14 individuals, including government officials and members of the Hasina family, as respondents.
The case stems from media reports published on August 19, which claimed that the Hasina family had misappropriated $5 billion from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, the largest and most expensive infrastructure project in Bangladesh’s history. The reports suggested that this money was funneled through Malaysian banks with the involvement of Russia’s state-run Rosatom, which oversaw the construction of the plant. According to these reports, the project’s cost of $12.65 billion was inflated, and the funds were allegedly transferred to various Malaysian accounts under the guise of positive media coverage.
The Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, which is expected to generate 2,400 MW of electricity by 2024, is a key component of Bangladesh’s energy strategy. However, the corruption allegations have raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the project.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
