A Dhaka court has ordered the seizure of a 1,328-square-foot apartment in Mohammadpur belonging to former Sirajganj assistant engineer of the Public Works Department (PWD), Zahida Akter.
Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Sabbir Faiz issued the order on Wednesday following a petition from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), according to court sources.
The ACC alleged that Zahida Akter acquired assets inconsistent with her lawful income.
The petition noted that she purchased an apartment under Malaysia’s quota and acquired several flats in Dhaka, including one in Shyamoli, which has been confirmed.
The petition also stated that Zahida applied for retirement from government service on 5 August, 2022. While her retirement request was pending, she moved to Malaysia, where her daughter was studying at an international school in Kuala Lumpur.
She later relocated with her family to Australia, where she obtained permanent residency, before recently returning to Bangladesh.
ACC officials told the court that Zahida had spent significant time abroad and that her husband, Rokan Uddin, former Supervising Engineer of PWD Circle-3, is currently in Australia.
Citing concerns that Zahida might permanently leave the country, the commission requested the seizure of the property to safeguard the ongoing investigation.
