Purbachal plot scam: Hasina sentenced to 5 years in prison, Rehana 7, British MP Tulip 2
Fourteen others, who were also accused in the case, were sentenced to five years' imprisonment
Highlights
- Rehana received seven years in prison, Hasina five years, Tulip two years, and all three were fined Tk1 lakh
- Fourteen other accused were sentenced to five years in prison with the same fine
- The verdict was delivered amid tight security, with police and BGB heavily deployed around the court
- The case is among multiple ACC corruption cases against Hasina, who also received earlier sentences including a death sentence from the ICT
A Dhaka court today (1 December) sentenced Sheikh Rehana to seven years in prison, her daughter British MP Tulip Siddiq to two years and ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in a case over irregularities in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) plot allocation.
Sheikh Rehana has also been fined Tk1 lakh, and failure to pay will result in six months' additional imprisonment. Tulip and Hasina have also been fined the same amount with the same penalty upon failure to pay.
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The court also ordered the cancellation of the 10-katha plot allocated to Sheikh Rehana in the Purbachal New Town project.
Judge Md Robiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 started reading out the verdict at 11:30am today, in the case against 17 accused individuals, including the aforementioned three.
Fourteen others who were also accused in the case were sentenced to five years' imprisonment and a fine of Tk1 lakh, which will result in six months' additional imprisonment in default.
Earlier, at around 9:30am, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former member (Estate and Land) of Rajuk, the sole accused currently in custody in this particular case, was brought to court.
The verdict reading took place amid heightened security in the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court area.
Since the morning, strong police presence were seen while Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) personnel were also deployed, with checkpoints established at court entrances and intensified patrols in the surrounding neighbourhoods.
Other accused in the Rajuk plot scam case are former state minister for housing and public works Sharif Ahmed, former Ministry of Housing and Public Works senior assistant secretary Purabi Goldar, former additional secretary Wali Ullah, former additional secretary (administration) Kazi Wasi Uddin, administrative officer Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, former Rajuk chairman Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former Rajuk members Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Major (Retd) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Tanmay Das, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Md Nurul Islam, former Rajuk assistant director Mazharul Islam, former Rajuk deputy director (Estate and Land-3) Naeb Ali Sharif and Mohammad Salahuddin, former personal secretary to then prime minister Hasina.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the case on 13 January this year, naming Rehana as the key accused.
On 31 July, charges were framed against all 17 accused, and the trial formally began. Testimony started on 13 August and concluded on 18 November, with a total of 32 witnesses testifying.
This case is one of several corruption charges filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) concerning alleged irregular plot allocations during Sheikh Hasina's tenure as prime minister.
Notably, a Dhaka court on 27 November sentenced Hasina to seven years in prison in three corruption cases – 21 years in total – related to irregularities in Rajuk plot allocations.
Before that, on 17 November, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity committed during last year's July Uprising.
ACC to seek Interpol's help to bring back convicts
An ACC lawyer has revealed plans to seek assistance from Interpol and the foreign affairs ministry to bring back the high-profile convicts including Hasina, Rehana and Tulip.
Lawyer Khan Md Moinul Hasan's announcement came shortly after Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 read out the verdict.
He specifically mentioned Tulip's dual citizen status, "Tulip is a Bangladeshi citizen on one hand and a British citizen on the other. We will inform the foreign ministry to bring her back. We will complete all the necessary procedures under Bangladeshi law through the government."
ACC dissatisfied
Speaking after the verdict, Moinul expressed dissatisfaction with the length of the sentences.
"We will discuss the verdict with the ACC and then announce our reaction. The verdict was not as per our expectation. We sought the maximum punishment, which was life imprisonment."
No capital offence, so no lawyer for the absconding
In his observations, the judge addressed why the 16 absconding accused were not provided with legal representation, noting that only Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former member (Estate and Land) of Rajuk, was present during the verdict.
The judge explained that while the law allows for the trial of a Bangladeshi citizen regardless of their location, the provision for appointing a defence lawyer for an absconding accused exists only in cases involving a capital offence (punishable by death).
Since the charges against the accused in this particular case do not involve any capital offence, there is no scope to appoint a defence lawyer for the absconding individuals, he added.
Referencing decisions from the higher courts, the judge noted that in criminal cases, an accused must first surrender and submit to the judicial process before claiming legal rights.
