Court issues gazette summoning Hasina, 22 others in ‘plot graft’ cases

Surma News Desk:
A Dhaka court has summoned deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her family members, and several former officials of her administration to appear in six cases over alleged corruption involving plot allocations.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said on Sunday evening that the court had earlier instructed the publication of the gazette notices, which have now been issued by the BG Press.

The gazette was signed by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib.

“The court has scheduled July 20 for a hearing in these six cases. If the accused fail to appear before the court by then, the trial will proceed in their absence,” Salam said.

The gazette underlines that arrest warrants have been issued against the accused, that the court has reasonable grounds to believe that they have gone into hiding to evade arrest and trial, and that there is no likelihood of their apprehension.

If the accused fail to appear by the next scheduled date, the trial will proceed in their absence, it insisted, referring to Section 6(13) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1958.

Among those named in the gazette alongside Hasina are her children Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s children British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq.

The list of individuals named in the court directive includes former Public Works Department (PWD) secretary Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former additional secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarkar and Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar.

Also included are former RAJUK chairman Anisur Rahman Mia, former members of RAJUK Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmoy Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Nurul Islam, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Sheikh Shahinul Islam, former deputy directors Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman; former state minister Sharif Ahmed, and former principal secretary to the prime minister Md Salah Uddin.

Hasina’s government was ousted in a mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024, following which she fled to India. Other members of her family also left the country.

The ACC launched an investigation into the alleged irregularities in December 2024. Charges were subsequently filed in six separate cases.