A gazette notification has been issued ordering former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her younger sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 97 others to appear in court in connection with six separate cases, accusing them of illegally acquiring 60 katha of government plots in the Purbachal New Town Project by abusing power.
On July 3, the gazette, signed by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib, was published by BG Press.
The gazette states: “The scheduled accused are hereby informed that since arrest warrants have been issued against them, and since the court has reasonable grounds to believe they are evading arrest and trial by hiding, their immediate arrest is unlikely.”
Therefore, under Section 6(13) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1958, the accused have been ordered to appear before the court by the specified date. “Otherwise, the trial will proceed in their absence.”
Earlier, on July 1, Judge Zakir Hossain Galib ordered the publication of the gazette. The next hearing in these cases is scheduled for July 20. Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam provided this information, according to BSS.
He said: “The court has directed the issuance of the gazette in six corruption cases related to illegal plot allotments. BG Press has published the gazette. The cases are set for a hearing on July 20. If the accused do not appear in court by then, judicial proceedings will begin in their absence.”
Between January 12 and 14, six cases were filed against Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Tulip Siddiq, Putul, and Azmina Siddiq, among 100 others, on charges of irregularities and abuse of power in plot allocations.
The cases were filed by ACC Deputy Director Salahuddin, Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya, and SM Rashedul Hasan. After investigations, charge sheets were submitted on March 10.
On January 14, Salahuddin named Sheikh Hasina and seven others as accused. The investigation later added four more, bringing the total to 12.
On the same day, ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed a case against Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and 13 others. Two more were later included, making 17 accused in the charge sheet.
On January 13, Deputy Director Salahuddin filed a case against Sheikh Rehana (as the prime accused), Sheikh Hasina, Tulip Siddiq, and 12 others. After further investigation, two more were added, totaling 17 in the charge sheet.
Also on January 13, Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya filed a case against Azmina Siddiq (prime accused), Sheikh Hasina, Tulip, and 13 others. Two more were later included, making 18 accused.
The same day, SM Rashedul Hasan filed a case against Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Tulip, Sheikh Hasina, and 13 others. After investigation, two more were added, totaling 18 in the charge sheet.
Finally, on January 12, Afnan Jannat Keya filed a case against Sheikh Hasina, Putul, and 14 others. Two more were later included, bringing the total to 18 accused. Sixteen witnesses were named in this case.