The Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on Sunday fixed November 27 to deliver the verdicts in three cases filed against deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul on charges of corruption in allotting land plots at the Purbachal New Town.
The Purbachal New Town project has been undertaken and being implemented by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha.
Judge Md Abdullah Al Mamun set the date after the conclusion of the hearings of arguments by the prosecution and defence lawyers on the day, said ACC lawyer Khan Md Mainul Hasan.
鈥榃e have sought the maximum punishment, life in prison, for the accused during the argument hearing in the cases,鈥� he said.
Defence lawyer Shahinur Rahman presented his arguments on behalf of Md Khurshid Alam, the former member of Rajuk (Estate and Land) and the only suspect in custody.
He argued that the case against his client had not been proven during the trial and they sought acquittal of the accused in the cases.
On July 31, the court framed charges against 29 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son and daughter in the 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 same day, judge Md Robiul Alam of the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 also framed charges in the three other similar cases filed against Hasina and others.
In one of those 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 involves Rehana鈥檚 son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Tulip, and Hasina among the accused.
On March 10, the Anti-Corruption Commission approved charge sheets against 29 people, including Sheikh Hasina and her family members, 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 by 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 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.
Besides, the accused also include 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, corruption and abusing power during her tenure as prime minister.
Earlier, in January, the commission 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 case documents, these six plots are situated on Road 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town.
Rajuk issued an allotment letter on August 3, 2022, providing 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 Saima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. Same-size 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 the allotment of plots.
The International Crimes Tribunal-1 has, meanwhile, sentenced Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for crimes against humanity committed during the July-August 2024 mass uprising.