The High Court has issued a rule asking why the ACC's inaction should not be declared illegal in the investigation into allegations that ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddique embezzled 500 crore dollars from the country's largest and most expensive project, the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, through a Malaysian bank.

A High Court bench comprising Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Mubina Asaf issued the rule on Sunday (December 15).

Barrister Shahedul Azam Tamal placed the writ petition in court.

Earlier, a writ petition was filed in the High Court seeking an investigation into allegations that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the student uprising on September 3, embezzled 500 billion dolar (Tk 60,000 crore in Bangladeshi currency) from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) through a Malaysian bank by her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddique.

National Democratic Movement-NDM Chairman Bobby Hajjaj filed the writ. Barrister Shahedul Azam is the lawyer for the writ.

The writ challenges the inaction in the investigation of the allegations. The Secretary of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, the Secretary of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the ACC Chairman, Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Tulip Siddique and Tarek Ahmed Siddique have been made respondents.

Earlier, reports were published in the media on the matter. On August 19, various newspapers published reports on the corruption of Sheikh Hasina's family in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant. The writ was filed in the High Court along with that report.

The report said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who was ousted in the student-public uprising, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddique embezzled 5 billion or 500 crore dollars (Tk. 60 thousand crore in Bangladeshi currency) from the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) through Malaysian banks.

The Global Defense Corp report titled 'Ousted Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Her Son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Niece Tulip Siddique Embezzled 500 core Dollars from Overpriced 12.65 Billion Dollars Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant Through Malaysian Banks' said that the project implementing agency, Russia's Rosatom, provided Sheikh Hasina with the opportunity to embezzle this money through Malaysian banks. His son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and niece Tulip Siddique mediated in this.

It is said that the work of realizing the long-cherished dream of a nuclear power plant in Bangladesh began in 2017. Sheikh Hasina started the construction of the main building of this power plant. This power plant is expected to supply up to 20 percent of the country's electricity in the near future. It is estimated that the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant will be able to generate 2,400 megawatts of electricity by 2024 using two VVER units. This will certainly help greatly in meeting the growing electricity demand of Bangladesh. Under the guise of such positive media publicity, Sheikh Hasina and her family members have embezzled more than $5 billion to buy a Soviet-era nuclear reactor from the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation (Rosatom).

Its construction cost has been estimated at 12.65 billion dollars. Through this, Russia helped former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina secretly transfer Tk. 500 crore to various banks in Malaysia. This money came from a special Russian fund in those Malaysian banks.

The report said that Bangladesh has no experience in working with the nuclear sector. In addition, there is no professional person in Bangladesh who can supervise the design and construction of a nuclear power plant. Yet, Bangladesh signed an agreement with Russia to build a power plant and gave Russia full control of the construction work without any supervision. Because of this, Sheikh Hasina and her family members received financial benefits of Tk. 500 crore.

However, recent media reports on the high construction cost of this project have given an opportunity to discuss the issue from various angles. The general public has now started raising questions about the entire power project. The involvement of top state institutions like the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission in this is truly uncomfortable.

Due to public interest in the whole matter, it has not been limited to a departmental investigation but has escalated to the High Court Division.

The statement of the investigation committee said that the ministry has no involvement in the official activities of this project, contractor approval or appointment. If the ministry is not responsible for supervision, then who will take responsibility for it?

Tulip Siddique has been a controversial mediator between Sheikh Hasina and Russia's Rosatom in London before the Rooppur nuclear power plant deal was finalized. Tulip Siddique was Sheikh Hasina's companion during her meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in 2013. According to Global Defense Corp, she also brokered a billion-dollar arms deal between Dhaka and Moscow. She later played a key role in Bangladesh's ongoing Rooppur nuclear power plant with Russian support. However, Tulip did not provide this service for free. In return, she also received a monthly honorarium from her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. In addition, since January 2009, Tulip's mother Sheikh Rehana and some members of the Sheikh family received 30 percent of the money as kickbacks (secret payments) from the Russians. This money was then secretly kept in several offshore bank accounts in Malaysia. In 2009, Tulip Siddique, her mother Sheikh Rehana and Uncle Tariq Ahmed Siddique, the then Prime Minister's Defense Adviser, started a fake company called 'Prachaya Limited'. This company is also accused of laundering 900 million dollar from Destiny Group to various countries around the world, including the UK. They also opened a company in the UK called Jumana Investment and Properties Limited.

East Timorese President Jose Ramos Horta, who is visiting Dhaka, has said that Dr. Yunus' leadership is a blessing for Bangladesh.

Ramos said this at a joint press conference at the office of the Chief Adviser on Sunday (December 15) afternoon.

The East Timorese President said that Dr. Muhammad Yunus has more than a hundred degrees, which is amazing. He is probably the only leader in the world who is so respected and has such strong academic qualifications. It is a blessing for Bangladesh to come under his leadership.

Jose Ramos also said that East Timor is interested in further increasing economic and trade relations with Bangladesh in the future.

Earlier, the East Timorese President arrived in Dhaka on a four-day visit at around 10:30 pm on Saturday (December 14). Horta was welcomed at the airport by the Chief Adviser to the interim government Dr. Muhammad Yunus.

764 officials deprived during Awami League rule who retired will be given rank and financial benefits. A committee formed by the interim government had recommended ‘retirement-based’ promotions for these officials at various levels from deputy secretary to secretary.

Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Md. Mokhles Ur Rahman said this at a press conference on the report of the Dearness Allowance and Deprivation Elimination Committee at the Secretariat on Sunday (December 15).

Referring to the recommendations of the Deprivation Elimination Committee and the government’s policy decision, Mokhles Ur Rahman said, those who do jobs know that there is a minimum process. A directive from the promotion authority will be required in this regard. However, it is positive. There are some rules and regulations of the job. This has to be followed. There is no scope to go beyond it.

Expressing hope that this process will be completed in a short time, the Senior Secretary of Public Administration said, this is not exactly promotion. This is social status and dignity. A government order will be issued with financial benefits and titles. On the basis of this, they will get this money in the economic order. The government agrees in principle. It is a matter of time.

Explaining, he said, placement in the post is one thing and rank is another. This is that a government order will be issued with the status of that post. The AG office will do the calculation. They have scientific rules. This benefit will also be applicable in the case of pension.

Earlier, on December 10, the committee reviewing the applications of retired officials deprived of promotion in public administration submitted their report to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus. The Ministry of Public Administration had formed a five-member committee on September 16 with former Finance Secretary and former Alternate Executive Director of Bangladesh at the World Bank Zakir Ahmed Khan as the convener. This committee was formed to review the applications of officials who were deprived of various forms of government service during the Awami League period from 2009 to August 4 and to formulate recommendations.

According to the information received from the relevant sources, a total of 1,540 applications were submitted on behalf of the deprived officers, including 19 applications submitted by their family members. Out of these, 13 applications were outside the purview of the committee for various reasons. As a result, the committee scrutinized and selected the remaining 1,527 applications and made recommendations. After scrutinizing and selecting the applications, the committee held 28 meetings and formulated recommendations through analysis, which have been submitted to the Chief Adviser. It is learned that the committee has recommended promotion of 119 people to the post of Secretary, 41 to Grade-1 (salary grade equal to Secretary), 528 to the post of Additional Secretary, 72 to the post of Joint Secretary and four to the post of Deputy Secretary. Since they have retired, it has been recommended that they can be given 'ex-service' promotion. Out of these 764 officers, the committee has recommended promotion of 9 people to four steps, 34 to three steps, 126 to two steps and 595 to one step. The total cost of providing financial benefits to these deprived officers after determining the new rank will be approximately Tk. 50 to Tk. 60 crore.

A passenger bus lost control and hit a tree on the side of the road in Chauddagram, Cumilla, killing 3 people. At least 8 more passengers were injured in the incident.

The accident occurred at 11 am on Sunday (December 15) in the Padua area of Chauddagram on the Dhaka-Chattagram highway.

Confirming the matter, Jasim Uddin, in-charge of the Miabazar Highway Police Outpost, said that a Dhaka-bound Hanif Paribahan passenger bus lost control in the Padua area in the morning and hit a tree. The front part of the bus was badly twisted.

He said that the identities of the deceased have not been known yet. Police have recovered the bus from the scene. The injured have been sent to Chauddagram Health Complex. Two seriously injured have been sent to Dhaka Medical College Hospital.