Six more witnesses have testified before a Dhaka court in three corruption cases involving 53 accused, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots under the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.
The witnesses are Mohammad Osman Gani, personal officer of the Chief Adviser’s Office; Uzzal Hossain, a motor cleaner at the same office; sub-registrars Zahidur Rahman and Rafikul Islam; income tax lawyer Hanif Dihidar; and Abdur Rahim, a staff member at the income tax office.
According to court records, Osman Gani, Uzzal Hossain, and Zahidur Rahman testified in a case against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana. Osman Gani, Zahidur Rahman, Hanif Dihidar, and Abdur Rahim submitted statements in another case against 18 people, including Hasina and her niece Azmina Siddique. Osman Gani, Uzzal Hossain, Rafikul Islam, and Zahidur Rahman also appeared as witnesses in a third case against 18 others, including Hasina and her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddique.
So far, 65 witnesses have testified before Dhaka Special Judge Court-4. Following Sunday’s hearing, Judge Robiul Alam adjourned proceedings until November 9.
In addition, three other similar cases against 47 individuals – including Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul – are ongoing at Dhaka Special Judge Court-5.
The same court framed charges in those three cases on 31 July and issued arrest warrants after the accused failed to appear. On that day, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 also framed charges in the remaining three related cases.
Earlier, on 20 July, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib forwarded the six cases to trial courts, observing that the accused had repeatedly failed to comply with court summons.
On 1 July, the court ordered a gazette notification summoning 100 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, and Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) filed the six cases between 12 and 14 January 2025, and submitted charge sheets on 10 March.
According to case documents, on 14 January, ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin filed a case against eight people, including Hasina, in connection with a 10-katha Purbachal plot allocation scam. The charge sheet later expanded the number of accused to 12.
That same day, ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed another case against 15 people, including Hasina and Joy, later naming 17 in the charge sheet. On 13 January, Salahuddin lodged another case against 15, including Hasina, Rehana, Radwan Mujib, Tulip Siddiq, and Azmina Siddiq, later increasing the number to 17.
Another case was filed the same day against 16 people, including Hasina, Tulip, and Azmina, with a charge sheet listing 18 accused. A separate case accused Radwan Mujib and 15 others, also naming 18 in the charge sheet.
On 12 January, ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya filed the final case against 16 accused, including Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul, later raising the total to 18.
Each of the six cases relates to alleged irregularities and misuse of authority in plot allocations under the Purbachal project, which prosecutors claim caused financial losses to the state and violated RAJUK’s plot distribution rules.
