Six to testify against Hasina, family on third day of witness testimony in Rajuk plot cases
Six witnesses are scheduled to testify today (2 September) in three separate corruption cases against former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and others over alleged irregularities in plot allocations by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
The testimonies will be given before the court of Md Abdullah Al Mamun, judge of Dhaka's Special Judge Court No 5.
However, as the accused remain absconding, the witnesses cannot be cross-examined.
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Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Prosecutor Khan Md Moinul Hasan (Lipon) confirmed that summonses were sent to the six witnesses.
They are: Goutam Kumar Shikder, senior principal officer of Sonali Bank's Ganabhaban branch; Md Shariful Islam, principal officer of the same branch; Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, chief assistant of the Tax Circle; Md Rezaul Haque, computer operator of the Tax Circle; Md Abu Taher, notice server of the Tax Circle; and Delwar Hossain, office assistant.
The ACC filed six cases in January alleging irregularities in plot allotments. The Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court later transferred the cases to Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 and Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 for trial.
On 31 July, the court framed charges and ordered the trials to begin. Arrest warrants were issued the same day for the accused, who were subsequently declared fugitives.
In three of the cases, the charges involve 12 people including Sheikh Hasina, 17 people including Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 18 people including Saima Wazed Putul.
Other accused include Hasina's sister Sheikh Rehana's daughters Tulip Rizwana Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq Rumpunti, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby; former housing secretary Shahid Ullah Khandker, former additional secretary (administration) Kazi Wasiuddin, and former Rajuk chairman Anisur Rahman Miah, among other Rajuk and other government officials.
According to ACC documents, Hasina allegedly colluded with senior Rajuk officials to unlawfully secure six residential plots—each measuring 10 kathas—in the diplomatic zone of Sector-27 of the Purbachal New Town project.
