Gazette summons Hasina, Rehana, Joy, 97 others in Purbachal graft case

A Dhaka court has issued a gazette notification summoning ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and nearly 100 others to appear before the court in connection with six corruption cases over alleged abuse of power in the allocation of 60 kathas of government land in the Purbachal New Town Project.

The gazette, signed by Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib on July 3, was published by the Bangladesh Government Press (BG Press).Bangladeshi cuisine recipes

The gazette states that arrest warrants have already been issued against the accused, who are believed to be absconding to avoid arrest and trial, making their immediate arrest unlikely. Under Section 6(13) of the Criminal Law Amendment Act of 1958, they have been ordered to appear before the court by the next scheduled date or face trial in absentia.

The next hearing in these cases is set for July 20. Confirming the development, ACC prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said, “The court has ordered the publication of gazettes in six corruption cases related to the plot allocations. If the accused do not appear by July 20, trial proceedings will begin in their absence.”

Between January 12 and 14 this year, six cases were filed by Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) officials against Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Tulip Siddiq, Putul, Azmira Siddiq and others, totaling 100 defendants.

According to ACC documents, Deputy Director Salahuddin filed a case on January 14 naming Hasina and seven others. Following investigation, four more were added, bringing the total to 12. On the same day, Assistant Director S M Rashedul Hasan filed a case against Hasina, Joy and 13 others, later expanding to 17 after the investigation.

On January 13, Deputy Director Salahuddin filed a case naming Rehana as the lead accused along with Hasina and Tulip Siddiq among 15. After adding two more, the charge sheet included 17. That day, Assistant Director Afnaan Jannat Keya also filed a case with Azmira Siddiq as the lead accused alongside Hasina and Tulip, which later named 18.

Another case by Rashedul Hasan on January 13 implicated Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Tulip, Hasina and 13 others, with two more added later, totaling 18. Lastly, on January 12, Afnaan Jannat Keya filed a case against Hasina, Putul and 14 others, which expanded to 18 in the charge sheet, with 16 individuals listed as witnesses.

The ACC submitted charge sheets on March 10 after completing their investigations. If the accused fail to appear by the next court date, the trials will proceed under the laws governing absconding defendants.