Warrants issued against Hasina, Joy over Purbachal plot scam

A Dhaka court has issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and 27 others in connection with alleged irregularities in plot allocations under the Purbachal New Town Project.

Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Md Zakir Hossain Galib took cognizance of two separate chargesheets filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and issued the warrants on Tuesday.

Among the accused are senior officials of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works and the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), including Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Secretary Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker and several former RAJUK members and directors.

According to the ACC, Sheikh Hasina, during her tenure as Prime Minister, misused her authority to illegally obtain a high-value diplomatic zone plot in Sector 27, Road 203, Plot 9 of the Purbachal project, despite owning multiple properties in Dhaka. She allegedly concealed this in her affidavit and influenced officials to bypass standard regulations and procedures.

The first case names 12 individuals, including Hasina and several housing ministry officials. The second case includes 17 accused, among them Sajeeb Wazed Joy.

Court officials said April 28 has been set for submitting a report on the execution of the arrest warrants.

This is the third such legal move in recent days against former PM Seikh Hasina. On April 10, warrants were issued against Hasina, her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, and 16 others. On April 13, further warrants were issued in three separate cases against 53 individuals, including Sheikh Rehana and her children, for allegedly abusing power to acquire 30 kathas of land from RAJUK.