A Dhaka court has formally begun the trial of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in three corruption cases related to land plot allocations in Purbachal. The court has issued arrest warrants against Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul after declaring them fugitives.
The order was passed on Thursday by Dhaka’s Special Judge Court-5 of Judge Abdul Al Mamun, marking the official start of proceedings in the cases.
In December 2024, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) launched an investigation into plots allocated in the names of Sheikh Hasina and her family members in Purbachal. Following the probe, in January this year, the ACC filed six cases against Hasina and 27 others over alleged irregularities and misuse of power in plot allocations.
On March 25, charge-sheets were submitted in these cases, accusing Hasina and her family of abusing their positions to secure a total of six residential plots in the government-run Purbachal New Town Project. All 28 accused were shown as fugitives in the charge-sheets.
With Thursday’s court order, the formal trial in three of these corruption cases has now commenced.
