A Dhaka court on Thursday (November 27) sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in jail in three cases over irregularities in plot allocation by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk).
Judge Md Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 delivered the judgment in the packed-jam court in her absence.
Hasina, who took shelter in India amid the mass protest on August 5 last year, got seven years in jail in each case, totaling 21 years of jail.
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Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul were also awarded five years in jail each, with Joy facing a fine of Tk 1 lakh.
Former RAJUK official Khurshid Alam, who was present at the dock during the verdict delivery, was sentenced to one year of jail.
Besides, Housing and Public Works official Saiful Islam Sarkar was acquitted from the charges in the cases.
The court in its observation said Sheikh Hasina betrayed the country by grabbing public property under her name without following legal procedures.
On November 23, the court set November 27 to deliver judgment in the cases filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) over graft.
On July 31, the court framed charges against 47 people including Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul in the cases.
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The other accused in the cases are Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, her daughters Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Shahid Ullah Khandaker, Additional Secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarker, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, former Rajuk Chairman Anisur Rahman Mia, former members Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmoy Das, Nurul Islam, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Director Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Deputy Directors Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, former State Minister Sharif Ahmed, and former Prime Minister’s Private Secretary Salauddin.
Ninety-one witnesses testified in the cases.
The ACC filed the six cases in January this year accusing them of illegally securing Rajuk plots misusing their positions.
Chargesheets in all six cases were submitted to court.
According to the case statement, Sheikh Hasina and her family members in collaboration with high-ranking officials of Rajuk allocated plots on political considerations through abuse of power and irregularities,
On July 20, the six cases over Rajuk plot allocation were transferred to the two special courts—Dhaka Special Court-4 and Special Court-5.
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