The Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday approved charge sheets against 29 people, including deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, in six cases filed on charges of corruption in allotting Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha land plots at the Purbachal New Town project.
This is the first charge sheet in corruption cases filed against the ousted prime minister since August 5, 2024 when she resigned as prime minister and fled to India amid a student-led mass uprising.
The ACC at a meeting, held at its headquarters in the capital鈥檚 Segun Bagicha, approved the charge sheets against them, said its director general for prevention Akhtar Hossain.
Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 other family members who have their names in the charge sheets are her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and two nieces Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq.
Akhtar Hossain said that Sheikh Hasina and her family members took allotment of six plots in Purbachal through abusing power, violating rules and concealing information.
Following the approval of the charges, the charge sheets would be submitted in court for the next course of action, he added.
The names of former state minister and Awami league lawmaker Sharif Ahmed and Hasina鈥檚 former personal secretary Salahuddin have also been mentioned as accused in the cases.
The names of the two men were not included in the first information report in the cases with anti-corruption commission officials saying that their names came as their involvement was found during probes.
The other accused named in the charge sheets are the housing and public works ministry鈥檚 former secretary Mohammad Shahid Ullah Khandakar, additional secretary (administration) Kazi Wachi Uddin, additional secretary Md Waliullah, administrative officer Mohammad Saiful Islam Sarker, and senior assistant secretary Purbhi Goldar, Rajuk鈥檚 former chairman聽 Mohammad Anisur Rahman Miah, former member (estate and land) Mohammad Khurshed Alam, member (administration and finance) Kabir Al Asad, member (development control) Tanmoy Das, member (estate and land) Mohammad Nurul Islam, former member (planning) Mohammad Nasir Uddin, former member Major (Engineer) Samsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury (retired), former member (development control) Shofiul Haque, director (estate and land-2) Sheikh Shahinul Islam, director Kamrul Islam, deputy directors Mohammad Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, former deputy director Nayeb Ali Sharif, assistant directors Faria Sultana and Mazharul Islam.
According to the charge sheets, Hasina in collusion with top officials of Rajuk and the Ministry of Housing and Public Works facilitated the allocation of six plots鈥� each is 10 katha in size鈥攊n her and family members鈥� names through irregularities and corruption and abusing power during her tenure as prime minister.
Earlier in January, the ACC filed the six separate cases with its Dhaka-1 integrated district office against Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and their five children over irregularities in allotment of six plots in Purbachal.
According to the documents of the cases, these six plots are situated on Road 203 in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town Project.
Rajuk issued an allotment letter on August 3, 2022, allotting a 10-katha plot to Sheikh Hasina (plot number 009), while it allotted two plots to Sajeeb Wazed (plot number 015) and Saima Wazed (plot number 017).
Sajeeb鈥檚 allotment letter was issued on October 24, 2022, while Sayma鈥檚 allotment letter was issued on November 2, the same year.
A 10-katha plot (plot number 013) was also allocated to Sheikh Rehana. The same size plots were also allotted in the names of her son Radwan Mujib (plot number 011) and daughter Azmina Siddiq (plot number 019).
The name of Rehana鈥檚 daughter Tulip Siddiq came to the case while she was still serving as a lawmaker in the United Kingdom, said the case statement.
The anti-corruption commission on December 26 past year launched an inquiry against Hasina and her family over allegations of irregularities and abuse of power in acquiring the government plots in Purbachal New Town Project.
Apart from this, on December 17, 2024, the ACC also launched an inquiry against Sheikh Hasina, Sajeeb Wazed, Sheikh Rehana, and Tulip Siddique over allegations of embezzlement and corruption involving Tk 80,000 crore in nine mega projects.
The anti-corruption agency, on December 22 the same year, also decided on another inquiry against Sheikh Hasina and her son Sajeeb Wazed over allegations of laundering $300 million abroad.
