Sajeeb Wazed, son of Sheikh Hasina and her adviser, dismissed corruption allegations related to the 2015 $12.65 billion nuclear deal. He called the allegations a “smear campaign” and “completely bogus” on Tuesday. His comments came amid increasing scrutiny by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On Monday, the ACC began an inquiry into claims of corruption, embezzlement, and money laundering tied to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project. The project, backed by Russia’s state-owned Rosatom, features two reactors, each with a 1,200-megawatt capacity. The deal was signed in 2015.
The ACC claims $5 billion in financial irregularities, implicating Hasina, Wazed, and her niece, British treasury minister Tulip Siddiq. The alleged irregularities reportedly involve offshore accounts. Neither Siddiq nor Rosatom responded to Reuters’ requests for comment.
British PM’s Spokesperson Responds
A spokesperson for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer confirmed Siddiq’s denial of involvement. The spokesperson reiterated confidence in Siddiq and confirmed she remains in her role.
In August, Rosatom dismissed earlier corruption claims, emphasizing its commitment to transparency and anti-corruption policies in procurement processes.
Wazed Denounces Accusations
Wazed, speaking from Washington, labeled the allegations politically motivated. He stated, “These are completely bogus allegations and a smear campaign.” He added that neither his family nor he had ever benefited from government projects.
Wazed also rejected claims of offshore accounts, stating, “It’s impossible to siphon off billions from a $10 billion project. My family and I live in the U.S. and UK, but none of our accounts are linked to such sums.”
Sheikh Hasina Absence and Government Change
Hasina has not appeared publicly since fleeing to New Delhi in early August, following a deadly uprising in Bangladesh. In her absence, an interim government has assumed control. The Dhaka government confirmed on Monday that it requested India to return Hasina. New Delhi acknowledged the request but declined to comment.
Wazed stated the family has not yet decided on Hasina’s return to Bangladesh. He clarified that New Delhi has not suggested asylum as an option.
