The Dhaka Fifth Special Judge Court is scheduled to announce the verdict today, Thursday (November 27), in the plot corruption case against Sheikh Hasina.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) believes that Sheikh Hasina, who has already been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity, could face life imprisonment in this case.
After a death sentence for genocide, the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now at the doorstep of conviction in three corruption cases. The ACC filed the case alleging that she illegally acquired a 30-katha plot from Rajuk (Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha).
Despite summonses, arrest warrants, and newspaper advertisements for the accused to appear in court, they remained absent. Consequently, the trial against Sheikh Hasina and 23 others proceeded in their absence as fugitives.
The ACC's charge sheet states that Sheikh Hasina, by abusing her power as Prime Minister and violating Rajuk's housing policy, took government land in her own name, as well as in the names of her son and daughter. She is also accused of submitting a false affidavit.
Advocate Khan Md. Mainul Hasan, the ACC's lawyer, indicated that Sheikh Hasina could face life imprisonment for such forgery as a high-level government official.
He said, "Considering the false affidavit she provided while serving as Prime Minister, she should receive a severe punishment. Because a country's Prime Minister cannot lie."
Dr. Mohammad Abdul Momen, the ACC Chairman, views the exposure of the former Prime Minister's corruption and bringing her to justice as a success for the agency.
He stated that if a verdict is delivered, members of the RAB (Rapid Action Battalion) will also receive credit alongside the ACC, as it is also their success.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of the Dhaka Fifth Special Judge Court will announce the verdict in the three cases on Thursday.
Besides the three members of the Hasina family, there are 20 other accused in these three cases, only one of whom is currently under arrest.
Mohammad Khurshid Alam, the former member (Estate and Land) of Rajuk, who is in prison, will be presented in court during the verdict announcement. However, in his self-defense, he claimed to be innocent.
The other accused, besides the Sheikh family, include: former State Minister for Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed, former Principal Private Secretary to the Prime Minister Mohammad Salah Uddin, Housing and Public Works Ministry Secretary Md. Shahid Ullah Khandaker and Kazi Wasi Uddin, Senior Assistant Secretary Poorabi Goldar, Administrative Officer Md. Saiful Islam Sarkar, former Rajuk Chairman Md. Anisur Rahman Mia, former member (Estate and Land) Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Member (Administration and Finance) Kabir Al Asad, Member (Development Control) Tanmoy Das, Member (Estate and Land) Md. Nurul Islam, former Member (Planning) Mohammad Nasir Uddin, former Member (Development) Retired Major Engineer Shamsuddin Ahmad Chowdhury, former Member (Development Control) Shafi Ul Haque, Director (Estate and Land-2) Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Rajuk Deputy Director (Estate and Land-3) Hafizur Rahman, Habibur Rahman and Nayeb Ali Sharif, former Deputy Director (Estate and Land-2) Kamrul Islam, and Assistant Director (Estate and Land-3) Mazharul Islam.
The allegations of irregularities and corruption during the Awami League rule mainly surfaced after the political change on August 5 last year. The verdict in Sheikh Hasina's first corruption case is set to be announced on Thursday.
Earlier, the trial proceeded by declaring Sheikh Hasina, her son, daughter, and the other accused as fugitives. As a result, they were denied the opportunity for self-defense, and no lawyer participated in the hearing on their behalf.
It is reported that the ACC filed six cases in January regarding the "abuse of power and irregularities" in allocating 60-katha plots in Rajuk's Purbachal New Town Project.
In these cases, besides Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, niece British MP Tulip Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Rupanti, and nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby were named as accused.
Hasina has been charged in all six cases. The trial of three cases involving her family is proceeding together, and the trial of the three cases involving the Rehana family is also proceeding together in a separate court.
On July 31, the court framed charges against 23 individuals (with the same person being accused in multiple cases), including seven members of the Hasina and Rehana families.
Following the conclusion of the closing arguments on November 23, the date for the verdict in the Hasina family's cases was fixed.
Additionally, after the closing arguments for one of Rehana's family's cases concluded on November 25, the court set December 1 as the date for that verdict.
