Six witnesses will testify today in three separate cases involving allegations of corruption in the allocation of plots by the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and other accused.
These witnesses will present their statements before Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun at the Dhaka Special Judge Court-5. However, since the accused are absconding, there will be no cross-examination of the witnesses.
The witnesses include Gautam Kumar Sikder, Senior Principal Officer of Sonali Bank’s Ganobhaban branch, Principal Officer Mohammad Shariful Islam of the same branch, Chief Assistant of Tax Circle Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, Computer Operator Mohammad Rezaul Haque, Notice Server Mohammad Abu Taher, and Office Assistant Delwar Hossain.
The information was confirmed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor Khan Mohammad Moinul Hasan (Lipon), who added that the six witnesses had been summoned by the court.
On July 31, the court framed charges in these cases and ordered the trial to begin. Arrest warrants were issued against the absconding accused during the charge framing hearings. In these three separate cases, 17 individuals, including Sheikh Rehana, Tulip Rizwana Siddique, Sheikh Hasina, Azmina Siddique Ruponti, Radwan Mujib Siddi, and others, have been named as accused.
These cases were transferred to the courts for trial on July 20, with six cases in total. The accused include Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddi Babi, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Shahid Ullah Khondker, Additional Secretary (Administration) Kazi Wasi Uddin, Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarker, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, former RAJUK Chairman Anisur Rahman Mia, former members Mohammad Khurshid Alam and Kabir Al Asad, and several others.
In January, the ACC filed six separate cases accusing the former prime minister, her family members, and others of corruption in the allocation of plots. The accused include Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed, sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana’s daughter and British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddi, Radwan Mujib Siddique, and Azmina Siddique. The cases are ongoing, and the absconding accused have arrest warrants issued against them.
