Purbachal plots: Charges framed against Hasina, Joy, Putul

Charges were framed against 28 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, yesterday in six cases filed over alleged irregularities in plot allocation under the Purbachal New Town project.

Other accused include Rehana's son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, her daughters, British MP Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and several current and former officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).

After a brief hearing, Judge Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-5 framed charges against the accused in their absence in three cases.

As all the accused have been absconding, the judge could not read out the charges to them, said the judge in his order.

Before that, ACC Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam placed his submission for framing charges against Hasina, Rehana, and 26 others.

The judge set August 11 for starting trial of the cases.

Meanwhile, Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka framed charges against the accused in three other cases over the same allegations. The judge fixed August 13 for starting trial of the cases.

On July 1, the same court directed the government to issue six gazette notifications summoning 28 individuals, including Hasina and Rehana, to appear before it in connection with the cases.

The order came after police submitted reports on previously issued arrest warrants in the case, said court sources.

Earlier, on April 10, 13, and 15, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib issued arrest warrants against 28 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Saima, Tulip, Azmina, and Radwan after taking cognisance of the charges brought against them in six cases.

On March 25, the ACC submitted six charge sheets against Hasina and others in the six cases. Hasina is a common accused in all six cases. The ACC has listed all accused as fugitives.

The anti-graft body lodged the cases with its Dhaka Integrated District Office against Hasina and others on January 12.

According to the case statement, Saima Wazed, the prime accused, concealed information about ownership of housing or apartments by her and her family members within the jurisdiction of Rajuk and abused Hasina's (second accused) authority as a public servant by influencing and colluding with 14 public officials involved in the allocation process to secure a plot in the Purbachal project despite her ineligibility.

According to the ACC documents, Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, had six plots of land allotted to herself, Joy, Saima Wazed, Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina Siddiq, in violation of existing regulations.

The six plots, each measuring 10 kathas, are in the diplomatic zone of Sector-27 in the Purbachal New Town project.