Friday, 28 November, 2025
The courtroom in Dhaka reverberated with a judgment that could redefine Bangladesh’s political landscape for years.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, once the nation’s most powerful figure, was sentenced to a total of 21 years’ imprisonment in three corruption cases linked to the controversial Purbachal New Town plots. Her children, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, received five-year jail terms each.
The convictions, handed down by Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, centre on alleged misuse of office, irregular plot allocations, and opaque financial dealings. Observers say these are just the tip of a sprawling investigation into billions in alleged illegal wealth, foreign money laundering, and misappropriation of state projects.
From bridge toll contracts to NGO grants, nearly every corner of the Hasina–Rehana family network is under scrutiny. The court, in its observations, described Hasina’s conduct as marked by a “greed for wealth,” sparking fierce debate over the scale of her assets and the number of pending corruption allegations.
This verdict comes less than two weeks after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising crackdown, making her only the second former head of state in Bangladesh to face conviction for corruption.
After the fall of the Awami League government, Hasina fled to India on 5 August last year. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has since launched multiple investigations into Hasina, her children, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and the extended family, covering plot allocations, toll collections, grant disbursements, CSR funds, and suspected laundering of Tk 800 billion and $300 million.
“Investigations and case enquiries against Hasina and members of her family are under way. All actions are based on evidence and documentary proof,” said ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun delivered the judgment in absentia. Hasina was sentenced to seven years in each case, totalling 21 years, and fined Taka 1 lakh per case, or an additional 18 months in prison in default.
Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul were sentenced to five years each and fined Taka 1 lakh, or one month extra in default.
The three cases involved 47 accused, 22 of whom were found guilty. Key convictions include:
Sharif Ahmed, former State Minister for Housing: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former secretary: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Kazi Wasi Uddin, former additional secretary: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former RAJUK chairman: 15 years, fine Taka 1.5 lakh
Other RAJUK officials and staff received jail terms ranging from one to nine years, with corresponding fines. One officer, Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, was acquitted.“The plot was allotted to Sheikh Hasina without any application and beyond legally authorised jurisdiction,” the court noted, condemning the misuse of government recommendations for personal gain.
The cases date back to January 2025, with ACC officers filing charges against Hasina and associates for irregular allocation of Purbachal plots. A total of 29 witnesses testified before the court framed charges and issued arrest warrants.
The ACC continues to probe alleged irregularities in:
Meghna–Gomti Bridge toll collections
Grants via Suchona Foundation and CRI
Corporate Social Responsibility funds misappropriation
Foreign money laundering and suspicious bank transactions
Major state project corruption
Internal ACC documents indicate tens of billions of taka in alleged illegal wealth remain under scrutiny.
This historic judgment marks a turning point in Bangladesh’s fight against entrenched political corruption and exposes the Hasina–Rehana family network to ongoing legal scrutiny.
Judge Brands Hasina’s Wealth Grab ‘Stunning’
Justice bows to no one. The law strikes wrongdoing wherever it hides, regardless of rank or political power. Thursday’s landmark verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family stands as a stark reminder of that principle.
The courtroom fell silent as Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun delivered a blistering rebuke, expressing shock at what he described as Hasina’s “stunning greed for wealth.”
“She is a four-time prime minister,” he said, pausing mid-observation. “Why does she need so much money, so much wealth?” His words rippled through the packed courtroom, leaving palpable astonishment in their wake.
In a scathing assessment before announcing the convictions of Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, the judge said he was “astonished” by the breadth of the corruption uncovered in the Purbachal plot-allocation scandal.
The Dhaka Special Judge then proceeded to read out the sentences in three graft cases.
The judge’s detailed observations painted a sweeping picture of coordinated corruption. Citing a report from Sept 5 last year, he said Hasina had abused her authority to secure six plots in the diplomatic zone of Purbachal under the names of herself and her family members, in collusion with “dishonest officers.”
Under RAJUK rules, no plot can be allocated without a formal application. Yet a note was initiated at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works on July 18, 2022—despite Hasina filing no application—recommending that she be granted a plot. The instruction came from then state minister Sharif Ahmed.
Following a series of signatures and letters from ministry and RAJUK officials, a 10-katha plot was awarded to Hasina at Tk 300,000 per katha. She deposited Tk 1.2 million as the first instalment, and on Aug 3 the final allotment was issued in her favour.
The judge said the affidavit Hasina submitted to RAJUK was legally void because it had not been attested by a notary public or magistrate. It also concealed information about previous land allocated to her husband’s name. Nevertheless, RAJUK proceeded to issue the temporary allotment.
The court viewed her later application seeking handover of the plot as evidence of “criminal intent.”
“She has greed for wealth,” the judge remarked. “Otherwise, she could have refused the allotment and said she did not need it.”
The court observed that after securing her own plot, Hasina moved to arrange plots for her son and daughter. Joy received a plot following her recommendation on Aug 31; Putul received one on Sept 11. The judge said Hasina then pursued plots for her sister and nieces, though those matters fell outside the scope of the current cases.
At 11:56 am, after reading out the verdicts in all three cases, Judge Abdullah stepped down from the bench.
Chargesheets were submitted last March—12 accused in Hasina’s case, 17 in Joy’s, and 18 in Putul’s—with many defendants common across cases.
Four months after arguments ended on Nov 23, the court delivered its verdicts.
Just days earlier, on Nov 17, Hasina had been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity during last year’s July Uprising.
With Thursday’s convictions, she becomes the country’s second former head of government to be imprisoned for corruption—following BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was later acquitted under a changed political landscape. Former military ruler HM Ershad also faced multiple corruption convictions after his fall.
Comments
The courtroom in Dhaka reverberated with a judgment that could redefine Bangladesh’s political landscape for years.
Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, once the nation’s most powerful figure, was sentenced to a total of 21 years’ imprisonment in three corruption cases linked to the controversial Purbachal New Town plots. Her children, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, received five-year jail terms each.
The convictions, handed down by Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, centre on alleged misuse of office, irregular plot allocations, and opaque financial dealings. Observers say these are just the tip of a sprawling investigation into billions in alleged illegal wealth, foreign money laundering, and misappropriation of state projects.
From bridge toll contracts to NGO grants, nearly every corner of the Hasina–Rehana family network is under scrutiny. The court, in its observations, described Hasina’s conduct as marked by a “greed for wealth,” sparking fierce debate over the scale of her assets and the number of pending corruption allegations.
This verdict comes less than two weeks after the International Crimes Tribunal sentenced Hasina to death for crimes against humanity during the July Uprising crackdown, making her only the second former head of state in Bangladesh to face conviction for corruption.
After the fall of the Awami League government, Hasina fled to India on 5 August last year. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has since launched multiple investigations into Hasina, her children, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and the extended family, covering plot allocations, toll collections, grant disbursements, CSR funds, and suspected laundering of Tk 800 billion and $300 million.
“Investigations and case enquiries against Hasina and members of her family are under way. All actions are based on evidence and documentary proof,” said ACC Director General Md Akhtar Hossain.
Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun delivered the judgment in absentia. Hasina was sentenced to seven years in each case, totalling 21 years, and fined Taka 1 lakh per case, or an additional 18 months in prison in default.
Her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul were sentenced to five years each and fined Taka 1 lakh, or one month extra in default.
The three cases involved 47 accused, 22 of whom were found guilty. Key convictions include:
Sharif Ahmed, former State Minister for Housing: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former secretary: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Kazi Wasi Uddin, former additional secretary: 18 years, fine Taka 3 lakh
Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former RAJUK chairman: 15 years, fine Taka 1.5 lakh
Other RAJUK officials and staff received jail terms ranging from one to nine years, with corresponding fines. One officer, Md Saiful Islam Sarkar, was acquitted.“The plot was allotted to Sheikh Hasina without any application and beyond legally authorised jurisdiction,” the court noted, condemning the misuse of government recommendations for personal gain.
The cases date back to January 2025, with ACC officers filing charges against Hasina and associates for irregular allocation of Purbachal plots. A total of 29 witnesses testified before the court framed charges and issued arrest warrants.
The ACC continues to probe alleged irregularities in:
Meghna–Gomti Bridge toll collections
Grants via Suchona Foundation and CRI
Corporate Social Responsibility funds misappropriation
Foreign money laundering and suspicious bank transactions
Major state project corruption
Internal ACC documents indicate tens of billions of taka in alleged illegal wealth remain under scrutiny.
This historic judgment marks a turning point in Bangladesh’s fight against entrenched political corruption and exposes the Hasina–Rehana family network to ongoing legal scrutiny.
Judge Brands Hasina’s Wealth Grab ‘Stunning’
Justice bows to no one. The law strikes wrongdoing wherever it hides, regardless of rank or political power. Thursday’s landmark verdict against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family stands as a stark reminder of that principle.
The courtroom fell silent as Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun delivered a blistering rebuke, expressing shock at what he described as Hasina’s “stunning greed for wealth.”
“She is a four-time prime minister,” he said, pausing mid-observation. “Why does she need so much money, so much wealth?” His words rippled through the packed courtroom, leaving palpable astonishment in their wake.
In a scathing assessment before announcing the convictions of Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, the judge said he was “astonished” by the breadth of the corruption uncovered in the Purbachal plot-allocation scandal.
The Dhaka Special Judge then proceeded to read out the sentences in three graft cases.
The judge’s detailed observations painted a sweeping picture of coordinated corruption. Citing a report from Sept 5 last year, he said Hasina had abused her authority to secure six plots in the diplomatic zone of Purbachal under the names of herself and her family members, in collusion with “dishonest officers.”
Under RAJUK rules, no plot can be allocated without a formal application. Yet a note was initiated at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works on July 18, 2022—despite Hasina filing no application—recommending that she be granted a plot. The instruction came from then state minister Sharif Ahmed.
Following a series of signatures and letters from ministry and RAJUK officials, a 10-katha plot was awarded to Hasina at Tk 300,000 per katha. She deposited Tk 1.2 million as the first instalment, and on Aug 3 the final allotment was issued in her favour.
The judge said the affidavit Hasina submitted to RAJUK was legally void because it had not been attested by a notary public or magistrate. It also concealed information about previous land allocated to her husband’s name. Nevertheless, RAJUK proceeded to issue the temporary allotment.
The court viewed her later application seeking handover of the plot as evidence of “criminal intent.”
“She has greed for wealth,” the judge remarked. “Otherwise, she could have refused the allotment and said she did not need it.”
The court observed that after securing her own plot, Hasina moved to arrange plots for her son and daughter. Joy received a plot following her recommendation on Aug 31; Putul received one on Sept 11. The judge said Hasina then pursued plots for her sister and nieces, though those matters fell outside the scope of the current cases.
At 11:56 am, after reading out the verdicts in all three cases, Judge Abdullah stepped down from the bench.
Chargesheets were submitted last March—12 accused in Hasina’s case, 17 in Joy’s, and 18 in Putul’s—with many defendants common across cases.
Four months after arguments ended on Nov 23, the court delivered its verdicts.
Just days earlier, on Nov 17, Hasina had been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal for crimes against humanity during last year’s July Uprising.
With Thursday’s convictions, she becomes the country’s second former head of government to be imprisoned for corruption—following BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was later acquitted under a changed political landscape. Former military ruler HM Ershad also faced multiple corruption convictions after his fall.
Comments
