Two Dhaka Special Judges Courts on Thursday framed charges against 29 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and their children, in six cases filed on charges of corruption in allotting Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha land plots at the Purbachal New Town project.
Judge Md Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 framed charges against the accused in three cases. One of these cases was lodged against 12 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, another against 17 accused, including Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and the other against 18 accused, including Hasina and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul.
The court issued arrest warrants for the accused as they remain fugitive while it also fixed August 11 to start recording testimony of witnesses in the three cases, said ACC public prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam.
Besides, judge Md. Robiul聽 Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in the other three cases filed against Hasina and others. In one of these cases, there are 17 accused, including Sheikh Rehana, her daughter Tulip Siddiq, and Sheikh Hasina. In another case, the 18 accused include Azmina Siddiq, Tulip, and Hasina, while the other case against another 18 accused includes Rehana鈥檚 son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Tulip, and Hasina among the accused.
The court also issued arrest warrants for the accused in these three cases as they are absconding and fixed August 13 to start recording deposition of prosecution witnesses in the cases.
On March 10, the ACC approved charge sheets against 29 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, in the six cases.
According to the charge sheets, Sheikh Hasina and her family members received the allotment of six plots in the planned Purbachal town through abusing power, violating rules, and concealing information.
The names of former state minister and Awami league lawmaker Sharif Ahmed and Hasina鈥檚 former personal secretary Salahuddin were also mentioned as accused in the cases.
The names of the two men were not included in the first information report in the cases with the Anti-Corruption Commission, with officials saying that their names came as their involvement was found during probes.
The other accused named in the charge sheets are the housing and public works ministry鈥檚 former secretary Mohammad Shahid Ullah Khandakar, additional secretary (administration) Kazi Wachi Uddin, additional secretary Md Waliullah, administrative officer Mohammad Saiful Islam Sarker, and senior assistant secretary Purbhi Goldar, Rajuk鈥檚 former chair Mohammad Anisur Rahman Miah, former member (estate and land) Mohammad Khurshed Alam, member (administration and finance) Kabir Al Asad, member (development control) Tanmoy Das, member (estate and land) Mohammad Nurul Islam, former member (planning) Mohammad Nasir Uddin, retired member Major (Engineer) Samsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury, former member (development control) Shofiul Haque, director (estate and land-2) Sheikh Shahinul Islam, director Kamrul Islam, deputy directors Mohammad Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, former deputy director Nayeb Ali Sharif, assistant directors Faria Sultana and Mazharul Islam.
According to the charge sheets, Hasina, in collusion with top officials of Rajuk and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, facilitated the allocation of the six plots 鈥� each of 10 kathas 鈥� in her and family members鈥� names through irregularities and corruption and abusing power during her tenure as prime minister.
Earlier, in January, the ACC filed the six cases with its Dhaka-1 integrated district office against Hasina, Rehana and their five children over irregularities in the allotment of six plots in Purbachal.
According to the documents of the cases, these six plots are situated on Road 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project.
Rajuk issued an allotment letter on August 3, 2022, issuing a 10-katha plot to Sheikh Hasina (plot number 009), while it allotted two plots to Sajeeb Wazed (plot number 015) and Saima Wazed (plot number 017).
Sajeeb鈥檚 allotment letter was issued on October 24, 2022 while Sayma鈥檚 allotment letter was issued on November 2 the same year.
A 10-katha plot (plot number 013) was also allotted to Sheikh Rehana. The same-sized plots were also allotted to her son Radwan (plot number 011) and daughter Azmina (plot number 019).
The name of Rehana鈥檚 daughter Tulip Siddiq, also a British lawmaker, was included in the case on the allegation that she influenced allotment of plots.
