Testimonies in three cases against 47 individuals, including ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of Rajuk plots, are nearing completion, with 79 witnesses having testified so far.
A total of three witnesses testified in two of the three cases at Dhaka Special Judge Court-5. At the end of Monday's proceedings, Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun adjourned the hearing till Thursday.
Of the three cases, the Investigation Officer (IO) and Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya testified in the case against 12, including Sheikh Hasina. The ACC official was later cross-examined by the defence. The cross-examination, however, has not been concluded on Monday.
The IO and ACC Assistant Director, SM Rashedul Hasan, and Rajuk official Tanjillur Rahman testified in the case against 17, including Sheikh Hasina and Sajeeb Wazed Joy. Later, the IO was cross-examined by the defence. The cross examination was not concluded in this case either.
Meanwhile, testimony in another case against 18, including Sheikh Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul, was not held on Monday.
"The testimonies in these three cases are nearing the end as the defence is cross-examining the IOs of the two cases against Sheikh Hasina and Joy. Date has also been fixed for recording the deposition of the IO in the case against Sheikh Hasina and Putul. As per the law, with the completion of testimony and cross-examination of the IO, recording depositions the witnesses comes to an end," ACC public prosecutor Delwar Jahan Rumi told BSS.
Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 on July 31 framed charges in these three cases and issued arrest warrants against the accused. On the same day, the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in the other three identical cases filed in this connection.
Earlier on July 20, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib forwarded the matters to the trial courts, noting the accused failed to appear despite court orders.
On July 1, the court had ordered a gazette notification summoning 100 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and Sajeeb Wazed Joy.
The ACC lodged the six cases between January 12 and 14, 2025, and filed charge sheets on March 10.
According to the case details, on January 14, ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin filed a case against eight people, including Sheikh Hasina, over a 10-katha Purbachal plot. Later, a charge sheet was submitted against 12.
On the same day, ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed another case against 15, including Hasina and Joy; the charge sheet was named 17.
On January 13, Salahuddin filed another case against 15, including Hasina, Rehana, Radwan Mujib, Tulip Siddiq, and Azmina Siddique, the charge sheet named 17.
Another case filed that day accused 16, including Hasina, Tulip, and Azmina, the charge sheet named 18.
Yet another case was filed against Radwan Mujib and 15 others; the charge sheet was numbered 18.
On January 12, ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya filed a case against 16, including Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul; the charge sheet named 18.
