The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has recovered 832 bhori (9,707.16 grams) of gold from two lockers at Agrani Bank. The gold was not solely held in the name of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina but was stored under the names of several family members, including her sister, Sheikh Rehana, and daughter, Saima Wazed Putul. The recovered items include jewelry and gold models depicting a boat and a deer.
ACC Director General Akhtar Hossain revealed the findings during a press conference at the ACC headquarters in Segunbagicha. He mentioned that the legality of the gold owned by Hasina and her family members is currently being verified.
The lockers, located at Agrani Bank’s principal branch in Motijheel, were opened on Tuesday following a court order. Hasina had declared in her 2007 wealth statement that she had one locker at Pubali Bank and two at Agrani Bank. ACC investigator Md. Masudur Rahman sought court permission on September 14 to open the lockers, which was granted by the Senior Metropolitan Special Judge Court. The process was supervised by a judicial magistrate, an investigating officer, a gold expert nominated by Bangladesh Bank, two officials from the National Board of Revenue’s intelligence unit, the Central Intelligence Cell, and bank representatives.
Akhtar stated that after examining the bank vault documents, a total of 832 tola of gold was found, registered under the names of Sheikh Hasina, her daughter, and her sister. One locker at Agrani Bank’s principal branch contained 5,923.60 grams of gold ornaments, while another locker at the same branch, under the ownership of Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, held 4,783.56 grams of gold ornaments. The locker at Pubali Bank in Motijheel, registered under Sheikh Hasina’s name, was found to contain only a small empty jute bag.
He further mentioned that based on notes found inside the lockers, the gold is believed to belong to Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib.