Sheikh Hasina sentenced to 21 years in three plot allocation corruption cases

The arguments from both the prosecution and defense in the cases concluded on 23 November, after which the court set the date for the verdict, which was delivered today.
 

In the three separate cases, there are 47 defendants in total, but 23 individuals as some are involved in multiple cases.

Apart from Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and Saima Wazed Putul, the other 20 defendants include:
 

• Former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed

• Former Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Purabi Goldar

• Former RAJUK Chairman Anisur Rahman Miah

• Former Member (Development Control) Shafiul Haq

• Former Member (Estate & Land) Mohammad Khurshid Alam

• Former Member (Planning) Mohammad Nasir Uddin

• Major (Engg.) Samsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury

• Former RAJUK Deputy Director (Estate & Land-3) Nayeb Ali Sharif

• Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarkar

• Additional Secretary (Administration) Kazi Wasi Uddin

• Former Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Shahid Ulla Khandakar

• Member (Administration & Finance) Kabir Al Asad

• Member (Development Control) Tanmoy Das

• Member (Estate & Land) Md. Nurul Islam

• Former Member (Planning) Mohammad Nasir Uddin

• Director (Estate & Land-2) Sheikh Shahinul Islam

• Director (Estate & Land-3) Md. Kamrul Islam

• Deputy Director Md. Hafizur Rahman

• Deputy Director Habibur Rahman

• Former Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Mohammad Salauddin
   

Among the defendants, only Mohammad Khurshid Alam is in custody.

In these three cases, testimony concluded in separate hearings, with charges initially framed by the court on 31 July.
 

• In one case, there are 12 defendants, including Sheikh Hasina.

• In another, 17 defendants, including Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

• In the third case, 18 defendants, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul.
   

The corruption charges related to plot allocations were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in January across six separate cases, with Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Saima Wazed Putul, Sheikh Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana’s daughter British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and daughter Azmina Siddiq among those charged. Today’s verdict covers three of these six cases.
 

Separately, in a case of crimes against humanity, the International Crimes Tribunal previously sentenced Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death, while former Police Inspector General Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun received a five-year prison sentence.