Five more prosecution witnesses testified on Thursday in three separate corruption cases involving irregularities in plot allocations by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), where deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, and others are accused.
The witnesses appeared before Judge Md Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4. Following the testimony, the court scheduled the next hearing for September 21. As the defendants are currently absconding, the witnesses were not cross-examined.
According to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam, the witnesses were Delwar Hossain, office assistant, Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Tax Circle’s chief assistant Md Lutfar Rahman computer operator Md Rezaul Haque, and notice server Md Abu Taher.
On July 31, the court formally framed charges in these cases and initiated trial proceedings. Arrest warrants were issued as the accused failed to appear in court during charge-framing hearings.
The three cases name a number of prominent individuals. One case includes 17 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, and Tulip Siddiq. Another lists 18 accused, including Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and Azmina Siddiq Ruponti. The third also includes 18 accused, again naming Sheikh Hasina and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.
Other accused individuals include, Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby (son of Sheikh Rehana); Shahid Ullah Khandaker, secretary, Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Kazi Wasi Uddin, additional secretary (Administration); Saiful Islam Sarkar, Administrative Officer; Purabi Goldar, senior assistant secretary; Anisur Rahman Miah, former RAJUK chairman; Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former member (Estate and Land); Kabir Al Asad, member (Admin & Finance); Tanmoy Das, member (Development Control); Nurul Islam, member (Estate & Land); Mohammad Nasir Uddin, former member (Planning); Shamsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury, former member; Sheikh Shahinul Islam, director (Estate & Land-2); Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, deputy directors; Sharif Ahmed, former state minister; Salahuddin, former personal secretary to the prime minister.
In January, the ACC filed six separate cases related to alleged corruption in RAJUK’s plot allocation process. The cases implicated Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed (Putul), sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s children Tulip Siddiq, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, and Azmina Siddiq, among others.
