ACC starts investigation into Sheikh Hasina's foreign trips, fake doctorates

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has initiated an investigation into former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina over claims of misusing state funds for foreign travel and acquiring fraudulent doctorate degrees.

In a press conference at the ACC's headquarters on Thursday (February 6), the organization's Director-General, Md Akhtar Hossain, shared this information.

He said, "After initial evidence was uncovered through the ACC's intelligence investigation, a public decision has been made."

The ACC has disclosed that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina utilized government funds to charter flights from Biman Bangladesh Airlines for her foreign trips, often accompanied by a large entourage. Over her 16 years in power, she attended nearly every UN General Assembly as the head of government, frequently bringing a sizable delegation to New York. In 2015, she traveled to New York with a 227-member team for the 70th General Assembly and a special UN summit on sustainable development. In 2014, her delegation consisted of 178 members, and in 2013, it was 134.

The allegations suggest that Sheikh Hasina used state funds to travel in modern and expensive Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft. Between 2019 and mid-2024, Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated 48 VIP flights, incurring a total cost of Tk250 crore, with approximately Tk200 crore spent on these trips. One such flight, on September 18, 2021, incurred additional expenses for landing in Finland, adding to the overall cost. The ACC further revealed that Biman still owes the government around Tk50 crore as of 2023.

Furthermore, Sheikh Hasina is accused of obtaining "fake doctorates" from multiple universities, including Tripura University in India, Catholic University of Brussels in Belgium, and Visva-Bharati University in India. Allegedly, state funds were used to lobby for these degrees.