Purbachal land forgery: ACC approves 6 charge sheets against Hasina, family

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has approved six charge sheets in separate cases against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, their family members, and others in relation to the allocation of plots totalling 60 katha in Purbachal through irregularities and abuse of power.

The other accused in the cases include former state minister Sharif Ahmed, former private secretary to the PM Salauddin, and 14 officials from the housing and public works ministry.

This is the first charge sheet against the Hasina family and others involving the previous regime since the fall of the Awami League government amid a student-led mass uprising in August last year.

ACC Director General (Prevention) Akhtar Hossain confirmed the development, saying, "The charge sheet has been approved after evidence was found during the investigation of the case against them."

ACC officials said the charge sheets are in the process of being submitted to the court in the cases filed on 12, 13, and 14 January. 

Sharif Ahmed and Salauddin have been newly added to the charge sheets.

The individuals named in the charge sheets include Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed, Sheikh Rehana, Rehana's daughter and British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and another daughter, Azmina Siddiq.

According to the complaint, Hasina allegedly misused her authority for political considerations in collusion with senior officials of Rajuk. Through irregularities and corruption, she is accused of allocating six plots, each measuring 10 kathas and totalling 60 kathas, on Road No. 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town Project.

The plots were allocated in the names of Sheikh Hasina, her son, daughter, sister, nephew, and nieces.

The cases have been filed under sections 161, 163, 164, 409, and 109 of the Penal Code, 1860, as well as section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The charges allege that Hasina and her family members, while holding public office, misused their entrusted powers to obtain the plots despite not being eligible for such allocations.

Earlier, the ACC had also filed two separate cases against Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy for allegedly acquiring Rajuk plots in Purbachal by leveraging their influence.

"They concealed information in their application to obtain a plot from Rajuk, which violates the conditions," ACC Director General Akhtar stated while briefing reporters on 14 January.