Dhaka: The Metropolitan Special Judge Court has issued an order to freeze 14 bank accounts belonging to the Suchana Foundation, an organization associated with Saima Wajed Putul, who serves as the South East Asian Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) and is the daughter of the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the court's decision, presided over by Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib, was prompted by a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The accounts in question reportedly hold a balance of Taka 48 crore and 35 lakh. The ACC alleged that Saima Wajed Putul secured her position at the WHO through collaboration with her mother, Sheikh Hasina, in violation of the WHO's established rules and ethics.
The ACC's application further accused Putul of laundering hundreds of crores of Taka abroad, allegedly misappropriating funds from various government projects by exploiting her mother's influence. The commission expressed concerns that Putul and other individuals linked to the Suchana Foundation were attempting to transfer the foundation's movable assets, which could hinder the recovery of these properties.
The ACC emphasized the necessity of freezing the accounts to prevent the potential transfer or handover of assets, which would complicate efforts to reclaim the misappropriated funds.