Dhaka, July 31 (V7N) – A Dhaka court has formally framed charges against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul in three separate corruption cases related to land plot allocations in Purbachal, the capital’s major planned township.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 passed the order on Thursday, initiating the formal trial process. As the accused failed to appear in court, the judge issued arrest warrants against them and scheduled August 11 as the date for recording witness testimonies.

In the three cases:

  • 12 people, including Sheikh Hasina, have been named in one case.

  • 17 individuals, including Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed Joy, have been accused in another.

  • 18 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul, are listed as accused in the third.

These cases are part of a broader anti-corruption initiative spearheaded by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), which filed six separate cases in January over alleged irregularities in plot allocations by RAJUK (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha) in Purbachal.

Earlier, on July 1, the court issued a public notice via national newspapers ordering all accused to appear before the court in connection with these cases. As they remained absent, legal proceedings have now moved forward in their absence.

The framing of charges against such high-profile political figures marks a significant development in Bangladesh’s ongoing anti-corruption drive.

END/RH/AJ