Testimony has begun in three corruption cases involving former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her family members, and 16 others over alleged irregularities in the allocation of a 60-katha plot in Purbachal. The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).
On Monday, ACC Assistant Director Salauddin, the complainant in the case, testified before Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5, presided over by Judge Abdullah Al Mamun. Public Prosecutor Tariqul Islam confirmed the development.
On July 31, Dhaka’s two special judge courts indicted 23 accused — including Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana’s children Tulip Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq — in six separate cases.
The remaining accused include former ministers, secretaries, senior officials of the housing and public works ministry, and ex-Rajuk officials.
According to the ACC, the defendants falsely declared in affidavits that they did not own property in Dhaka, despite evidence showing they held multiple houses, land, and vehicles.
The ACC alleges the plots were obtained through abuse of power and procedural violations, an offense punishable by up to life imprisonment.
The investigation began on December 26, 2024, and the ACC approved charges in all six cases on March 10, 2025. Testimony in the remaining three cases is scheduled to begin on August 13 in Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-4.
