Sheikh Hasina handed 21 yrs in prison in three plot corruption cases

A Dhaka court has handed ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina a 21-year prison sentence in connection with three corruption cases involving plot allocations by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Fifth Special Judge Court, passed the order around 11:45 am on Thursday (November 27).

One co-accused, RAJUK official Saiful Islam, was acquitted in the case.

The hearings for the cases concluded on 23 November, following which the court set the verdict date. The court sentenced her to seven years in each case, with the terms to run consecutively, meaning the sentence for the next case will commence after the completion of the previous one.

The cases, filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in January this year, allege that Sheikh Hasina and her family misused their authority to secure six plots in Sector 27, Road 203 of the Purbachal Residential Project despite being ineligible. Three of the six cases have now been adjudicated, while Sheikh Hasina, her family members, and several other accused remain fugitives with warrants issued against them.

Other accused include Sheikh Hasina’s daughter Saima Wazed Putul, son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, sister Sheikh Rehana, niece Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and Azmina Siddiq.

Non-family members among the accused include former State Minister Sharif Ahmed, former private secretary to the Shiekh Hasina, Mohammad Salah Uddin, former ministry secretary Shahid Ullah Khandaker, Additional Secretary (Administration) Kazi Washi Uddin, administrative officer Saiful Islam, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, former RAJUK chairman Anisur Rahman Miah, and multiple other former and current RAJUK officials.