Graft trial starts against Hasina, others

The trial of three graft cases filed against 23 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, began at a Dhaka court with depositions of three complainants yesterday.

The complainants are Anti-Corruption Commission Deputy Director Md Salahuddin, assistant directors Afnan Jannat Keya and SM Rashedul Hasan.

For over one and a half hours, the complainants described alleged corruption by Hasina, Joy, Putul, and 20 others, to acquire plots in violation of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) rules and provisions, said ACC Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Special Judge's Court-5 in Dhaka recorded their statements, said Ariful Islam, bench assistant of the court.

According to court sources, the three complainants read out very similar statements.

As all the accused were declared fugitive, there was no scope for any lawyers to cross-examine the witnesses.

The judge set August 26 for the next hearing.

Meanwhile, the trial of another three graft cases against Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, and daughters, British MP Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq, and 18 others, including several current and former officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and Rajuk, is pending with the Special Judge's Court-4 in Dhaka.

The anti-graft body -- between January 12 to 14 -- lodged six cases with its Dhaka Integrated District Office-1 over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the Purbachal New Town project.

The ACC alleged that Hasina, in connivence with senior Rajuk officials, unlawfully secured six plots -- each measuring 10 kathas -- in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project for herself, Joy, Putul, Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina, despite their ineligibility under existing regulations.

On March 25 this year, the ACC filed six charge sheets with the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka where Hasina was a common accused in all six cases.

On April 10, 13, and 15, the court issued arrest warrants against Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Tulip, Azmina, and Radwan, along with others, after taking cognisance of the charges.

The same court on July 1 ordered the relevant authorities to issue six gazette notifications summoning the 29 individuals to appear before the court in the cases.

On July 31, charges were framed against 29 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Bobby, Tulip, and Azmina, in the six cases.