Thursday, 27 November, 2025
The nation holds its breath as a Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka prepares today to announce a verdict in unprecedented corruption cases implicating former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her immediate family.
Hasina, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising, along with her children—Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul—are accused of exploiting state power to secure plots in the Purbachal New Town project. The cases allege collusion, bribery, and abuse of authority at the highest levels of government.
Prosecutors are pressing for life imprisonment, while Hasina and her family remain outside the country, forcing the trial to proceed in absentia. The verdict, scheduled for Thursday, could mark the most consequential corruption ruling in recent history. Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun will deliver the decision.
Besides the Hasina family, 20 other individuals face charges across three related cases, with only former RAJUK member Mohammad Khurshid Alam currently in custody. Prominent accused include former state minister Sharif Ahmed, former RAJUK officials, and senior civil servants.
Following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, allegations of mismanagement and corruption from Hasina’s administration surfaced. Investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed irregularities in the allocation of 60 katha of plots in Purbachal New Town to Hasina, her children, sister Sheikh Rehana, and her nieces and nephews.
According to ACC documents, Hasina received a 10-katha plot on 3 August 2022. Joy and Putul were allotted plots in October and November 2022, respectively. Rehana and her children also received separate allocations. The ACC alleges the family already owned multiple properties in RAJUK areas, raising questions about the legality of these new allotments.
The ACC filed six separate cases in January 2025, which were later consolidated into three trials for Hasina and her immediate family. The proceedings included testimony from over 60 witnesses, including RAJUK officials, banking officers, and housing ministry staff. Former RAJUK member Khurshid Alam surrendered in October, providing the only in-person defense, while the other accused remained absconding.
Khan Md Mainul Hasan Lipon, counsel for the ACC, said, “We have been able to substantiate the allegations. We expect the highest sentence will be life imprisonment.” In contrast, Khurshid Alam’s lawyer, Shahinur Rahman, stated, “The ACC could not prove the charges against my client. We hope he will be acquitted.”
The verdict comes after closing arguments for Hasina’s case on 23 November and self-defense hearings for Joy and Putul. Thursday’s ruling will determine whether justice is delivered in what has been described as one of the most high-profile corruption cases in Bangladesh’s history.
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The nation holds its breath as a Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka prepares today to announce a verdict in unprecedented corruption cases implicating former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her immediate family.
Hasina, who was sentenced to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising, along with her children—Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul—are accused of exploiting state power to secure plots in the Purbachal New Town project. The cases allege collusion, bribery, and abuse of authority at the highest levels of government.
Prosecutors are pressing for life imprisonment, while Hasina and her family remain outside the country, forcing the trial to proceed in absentia. The verdict, scheduled for Thursday, could mark the most consequential corruption ruling in recent history. Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun will deliver the decision.
Besides the Hasina family, 20 other individuals face charges across three related cases, with only former RAJUK member Mohammad Khurshid Alam currently in custody. Prominent accused include former state minister Sharif Ahmed, former RAJUK officials, and senior civil servants.
Following the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August 2024, allegations of mismanagement and corruption from Hasina’s administration surfaced. Investigations by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) revealed irregularities in the allocation of 60 katha of plots in Purbachal New Town to Hasina, her children, sister Sheikh Rehana, and her nieces and nephews.
According to ACC documents, Hasina received a 10-katha plot on 3 August 2022. Joy and Putul were allotted plots in October and November 2022, respectively. Rehana and her children also received separate allocations. The ACC alleges the family already owned multiple properties in RAJUK areas, raising questions about the legality of these new allotments.
The ACC filed six separate cases in January 2025, which were later consolidated into three trials for Hasina and her immediate family. The proceedings included testimony from over 60 witnesses, including RAJUK officials, banking officers, and housing ministry staff. Former RAJUK member Khurshid Alam surrendered in October, providing the only in-person defense, while the other accused remained absconding.
Khan Md Mainul Hasan Lipon, counsel for the ACC, said, “We have been able to substantiate the allegations. We expect the highest sentence will be life imprisonment.” In contrast, Khurshid Alam’s lawyer, Shahinur Rahman, stated, “The ACC could not prove the charges against my client. We hope he will be acquitted.”
The verdict comes after closing arguments for Hasina’s case on 23 November and self-defense hearings for Joy and Putul. Thursday’s ruling will determine whether justice is delivered in what has been described as one of the most high-profile corruption cases in Bangladesh’s history.
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