Condemned convict Hasina gets 21 years in prison

Deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, already carrying death sentence, is now sentenced to 21 years' imprisonment in three corruption cases over alleged abuse of power in acquiring plots at RAJUK's Purbachal New Town Project.

Her daughter Saima Wazed Putul and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy are each sentenced to five years in jail in one of the cases.

A special court in Dhaka on Thursday pronounced the verdicts in absentia-all three are abroad.

The court also imposed fines of Tk 0.3 million on Hasina, with an additional 18 months' imprisonment in case of non-payment. Putul and Joy were each fined Tk 0.1 million, with an additional six months' imprisonment for non-payment.

Of the 20 other accused in the plot cases, 19 were handed down varying prison terms, while Saiful Islam Sarkar, a former administrative officer of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works (MoHPW), was acquitted of all charges.

Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, Judge of the Special Judge's Court No 5 in Dhaka, delivered the judgments after the conclusion of trial proceedings. All the accused of the cases, excepting Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former Member (Estate and Land) of RAJUK, are absconding.

The jail terms of the 78-year-old Hasina will run "consecutively (one after the other)", says the verdict.

Hasina, in India since the fall of her government amid the July-August mass uprising last year, was sentenced to death by the International Crime Tribunal-1 in Dhaka on November 17 for committing crimes against humanity during the upheavals.

The special court says the period of sentence "shall commence from the time the absconding convicted accused surrender before the court or from the time of their arrest".

It also issued arrest warrants against the absconding convicts, specifying their respective sentences.

It also said the period of custody already undergone by the accused Mohammad Khurshid Alam shall be deducted from the total term of imprisonment imposed on him.

The court said, "From the evidence on record, it is apparent that accused Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, not only secured 10 decimals of RAJUK land for herself in violation of the prevailing legal framework but also abused her position and authority to facilitate the illegal allotment of an additional 50 decimals of RAJUK land in favour of her close family members and relatives."

In the observation the court said, "The conduct of a premier who leveraged her long-held political authority to secure 60 decimals of RAJUK land, appropriating 10 decimals for herself and allocating the remainder to her daughter, son, sister, and her sister's children, reveals a persistent mindset of corruption, shaped by a sense of entitlement, unchecked power, and a greedy eye to public property."

The court further observed, "Such conduct reflects a deliberate abuse of public office and reveals a belief that high political power places one above law. These actions erode public trust and undermine principles of integrity and accountable governance."

About RAJUK's role it is stated that the entity persistently and willfully violated the statutory rules and procedures governing the allotment of public land. "The Chairman and senior officials have knowingly disregarded mandatory requirements, failed to follow procedural safeguards and processed applications in a manner designed to favour privileged individuals."

The court asks the RAJUK to conduct an audit to all past allotments to identify multiple ownership and plots allotted in violation of rules, and to re-allot recovered plots exclusively to landless citizens and eligible applicants.

Among the other accused, Mohammad Salah Uddin, former Principal Secretary-1 of the Prime Minister Office, was sentenced to 12 years' imprisonment in two cases and fined Tk 0.2 million, Sharif Uddin Ahmed, former State Minister of the MoHPW, was sentenced to 18 years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 0.3 million, Md Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former Secretary of the MoHPW, received 18 years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 0.3 million, Kazi Wasi Uddin, former Additional Secretary of the MoHPW, received 18 years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 0.3 million, Purabi Goldar, former Sr Assistant Secretary of the MoHPW, was sentenced to three years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 20,000, and Md Anisur Rahman Miah, former RAJUK Chairman, was sentenced to 15 years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 0.15 million.

Mohammad Nasir Uddin, former Member (Planning) of RAJUK, was sentenced to nine years' imprisonment in three cases and fined Tk 60,000, Retired Major (Engr) Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury was sentenced to nine years' jail in three cases and fined Tk 60,000, Kabir Al Asad, Member (Admin and Finance) of RAJUK, received three years' jail in one case and fined Tk 20000, Tonmoy Das, former Member (Development and Control) of RAJUK, received six years' in jail in two cases, and fined Tk 40,000, Md Shafiul Haque, former Member (Development and Control) of RAJUK, received three years' in jail in one case, and fined Tk 20,000, Mohammad Nurul Islam, Member (Estate and Land) of RAJUK, received six years jail in two cases and fined Tk 40,000, and Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Director (Estate and Land-2) of RAJUK, was sentenced to three years jail in one case and fined Tk 20,000.

Md Kamrul Islam, former Director (Estate and Land-2) of RAJUK, received three years jail in one case and fined Tk 20,000, Md Hafizur Rahman, former Deputy Director (Estate and Land-3) of RAJUK, received one-year imprisonment in one case and fined Tk 5000, Md Habibur Rahman Sabuz, former Deputy Director (Estate and Land-3) of RAJUK, gets one-year jail in one case and fined Tk 5000, Nayeb Ali Sharif, former Deputy Director (Estate and Land-3) of RAJUK, received two years' imprisonment in two cases and fined Tk 10000, Majharul Islam, former Assistant Director (Estate and Land-3) of RAJUK, received one-year imprisonment in one case and Mohammad Khurshid Alam, former Member (Estate and Land) of RAJUK, is to serve three years in jail in three cases and pay a fine of Tk 15,000.

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