Ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana. Photo : Collage

DHAKA, Sept 04, 2025 (BSS) - Five more prosecution witnesses today testified in three cases filed against 53 people, including ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots in the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.

The witnesses are-Delwar Hossain and Shafiqul Islam, office assistants of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works; Mohammad Lutfor Rahman, tax inspector of the National Board of Revenue (NBR); Rezaul Haq, stenographer and computer operator and Abu Taher, notice server.

The five witnesses submitted their depositions at Dhaka Special Judge Court-4. After their testimony, Judge Robiul Islam adjourned the hearing until September 21.

Earlier, three officials of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had testified in the cases on August 28. They are ACC Deputy Director Mahbubar Rahman and Assistant Directors Ashim Shil and Ullash Chowdhury.

On August 13, the plaintiffs of these cases-ACC Deputy Director Salahuddin and Assistant Directors Afnan Jannat Keya and SM Rashedul Hasan-submitted statements against Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana, Tulip Siddiq, Radwan Mujib Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq and others.

On August 11, the same three officials testified in three other identical cases against 47 people, including Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, before Dhaka Special Judge Court-5.

Seven seizure-list witnesses also testified in those cases on August 26. Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 adjourned their hearings until September 2.

Earlier, on July 31, Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 framed charges in the three cases and issued arrest warrants as the accused remained absconding. On the same day, Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in the other three related cases.

Previously, on July 20, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib forwarded the cases to the trial courts after the accused repeatedly failed to appear. A gazette notification summoning 100 accused, including Sheikh Hasina, Sheikh Rehana and Sajeeb Wazed Joy, had been issued on July 1.

The ACC filed the six cases between January 12 and 14 this year and submitted charge sheets on March 10.

According to case details, ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin lodged a case on January 14 against eight people, including Sheikh Hasina, over a 10-katha Purbachal plot. The charge sheet later named 12. 

On the same day, ACC Assistant Director SM Rashedul Hasan filed another case against 15, including Hasina and Joy, with the charge sheet naming 17.

Salahuddin also filed two more cases on January 13, one against 15 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Radwan Mujib, Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq (charge sheet naming 17) and another against 16, including Hasina, Tulip and Azmina (charge sheet naming 18).

Another case was filed that day against Radwan Mujib and 15 others, later charge-sheeted against 18. 

On January 12, ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya filed a case against 16 people, including Hasina and Saima Wazed Putul, with the charge sheet naming 18.