A Dhaka court has imposed a travel ban on deposed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, former road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader, and 15 others in connection with a corruption case filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission.
The order was issued on Sunday by Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court, acting on an application submitted by the ACC. The application was filed by ACC Assistant Director Tanzil Hasan.
Those barred from leaving the country include former ministers Amir Hossain Amu, Anisul Huq, Tofail Ahmed and Khandaker Mosharraf Hossain; state minister MA Mannan; secretary MAN Siddiq; additional secretary Md Faruk Jalil; deputy secretary Mohammad Shafiqul Karim; engineers Md Firoz Iqbal and Ibn Alam Hasan; Md Aftab Hossain Khan and Md Abdus Salam. The ban also applies to CNS Limited Managing Director Munir Uz Zaman Chowdhury and directors Selina Chowdhury and Ikram Iqbal.

According to the case statement, Computer Network Systems Limited was awarded toll collection responsibilities in 2016 through a single-source procurement process. The previous lawful tender was cancelled, and the contract was signed without consultations with other firms.

Instead of a fixed payment, CNS Limited was granted a service charge equivalent to 17.75 percent of total toll collections, excluding VAT and income tax. As a result, the company received more than Tk 4.89 billion in bills. By contrast, during the 2010–2015 period, toll collection on the same bridge by the MBEL-ATT consortium cost just over Tk 150 million.

The ACC filed the case against Sheikh Hasina and the other 16 accused on October 12. In its application, the commission said it had received credible information that the named accused might attempt to leave the country, which could obstruct the investigation and lead to the destruction of crucial evidence.

The court said the travel restrictions were necessary to ensure a proper and unhindered investigation into the allegations.