ACC probes Hasina, Rehana over Tk4,000cr Mujib Borsho spending

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated a formal inquiry into allegations of misappropriation of Tk4,000 crore from the state treasury during the Mujib Borsho celebrations, implicating former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and former Principal Secretary Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury.

The inquiry, which was launched in January, is being overseen by a seven-member ACC committee, said ACC Director General (Prevention) Md Akhtar Hossain at a press briefing in Dhaka on Wednesday.

“Our team is currently collecting information from various organisations,” he said.

The allegations relate to expenditures made during the Mujib Borsho celebrations—marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Sheikh Hasina’s father—which took place from March 2020 to March 2022. The Awami League government is accused of spending Tk4,000 crore on various events and installations, including the construction of 10,000 murals and statues across the country.

As declared by Sheikh Hasina during a party meeting in July 2018, Mujib Borsho was officially launched on 17 March 2020 and extended until March 2022, overlapping with the COVID-19 pandemic. The celebrations were coordinated by two government-formed bodies: a 102-member National Committee chaired by Hasina and a National Implementation Committee.

Activities during this period included cultural events, publications, digital content, sports competitions, and the creation of Mujib-themed materials across both government and private offices. Aircraft, official documents, and even immigration areas at airports were branded with the Mujib Borsho logo and imagery of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Due to pandemic restrictions, many programmes transitioned online, including video documentaries, commemorative websites, digital quizzes, and special telecom packages, such as Teletalk’s free “Shatabarsho” offer. Several ministries and state-run agencies also introduced Mujib Corners and released souvenirs and memorial books.

Critics have raised concerns over the scale and extravagance of the celebrations during a global health crisis, questioning the transparency and necessity of such large-scale expenditures.

The ACC investigation is ongoing, with findings yet to be disclosed. If evidence of corruption is found, it could have significant legal and political consequences for the individuals involved and the former ruling party.