Hasina gets 21yrs jail, Joy, Putul 5 each

A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced the ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years’ imprisonment in three corruption cases over irregular plot allocations under the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project, in a ruling that follows her recent conviction and death sentence in a separate crimes against humanity case linked to the July 2024 massacre.

The court also handed down prison terms to 20 other accused, including Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Sayma Wazed Putul, after finding them guilty of illegally obtaining government plots despite being ineligible.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka Special Judge Court-5 delivered the verdict on 26 November, less than 10 days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) sentenced 78-year-old Hasina to death for atrocities committed during last year’s July uprising.

Thursday’s ruling comes 16 months after Hasina fled the country on 5 August 2024 following the mass uprising that ended her rule.

It is the third verdict against her since that date.

On 17 July, the ICT convicted her and two aides in the atrocities case, and on 2 July she received six months’ imprisonment for contempt of court over remarks made during a telephone conversation with a local leader about the tribunal.

Another verdict is expected on Monday, 1 December, in a separate graft case involving Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana’s daughter Tulip Siddiq and 14 others.

Sentences and fines

Under the latest judgement, Hasina was sentenced to 21 years in prison and fined Tk300,000.

Joy and Putul were each given five years’ imprisonment and fined Tk100,000.

Saiful Islam Sarkar, an administrative officer at the Ministry of Housing and Public Works, was acquitted as the court found the charges against him unproven.

Among the remaining accused, former state minister Sharif Ahmed received 18 years’ imprisonment and a Tk300,000 fine in three cases.

Former principal secretary to the ousted prime minister Md Salah Uddin was sentenced to 12 years with a Tk200,000 fine in two cases.

Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former secretary of the Public Works Department, and former additional secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin were each given 18 years and fined Tk300,000.

Former RAJUK chairman Anisur Rahman Mia was sentenced to 15 years and fined Tk150,000, while RAJUK member Mohammad Nasir Uddin and retired major engineer Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury received nine years each with Tk60,000 fines.

Other officials and staff, including senior assistant secretary Purabi Goldar, directors, deputy directors and assistant directors of RAJUK, received sentences ranging from one to six years with varying fines.

Former RAJUK member Mohammad Khurshid Alam was given three years and fined Tk15,000.

Court observations and directives

In a strongly worded verdict, the court said Hasina had cast a “greedy eye” on public property and treated state land as a private asset.

“She has been the prime minister four times – why would she need a plot allocation?” the judge remarked, adding that she could have rejected the allotment but instead pursued it.

The court found that Hasina provided false information when applying for a RAJUK plot, concealing the fact that her husband Wazed Miah had been allotted land in 1973.

The judge said this deception “created a great shock for the whole nation” and severely eroded public trust, reflecting a deliberate abuse of public office.

Highlighting widespread corruption, the judge stressed the need to protect whistle-blowers. “Those who witness internal corruption should be able to report it. Instead of punishing whistle-blowers, the state must ensure they are rewarded,” he said.

The court noted that after receiving her own plot on 3 August 2022, Hasina recommended another for her son within weeks, followed by a letter from the Prime Minister’s Office on 11 September 2022 concerning her daughter’s plot.

Recommendations were also made for other family members, political allies and people from her locality.

“What do we expect from politicians?” the judge asked.

The two affidavits submitted by Hasina in support of her application were declared legally invalid, as they were neither notarised nor signed by a magistrate and failed to disclose key facts.

Reform measures for RAJUK and the ministry

The verdict ordered the Ministry of Housing and Public Works to refrain from recommending plots under any special category and issued a series of corrective measures for RAJUK.

These include the immediate removal of officials involved in unlawful processing or approvals, a comprehensive forensic audit of past allotments, implementation of a digital notary and verification system, termination and prosecution of those responsible for illegal allocations, and legal protection and incentives for whistle-blowers.

The court further directed the ministry to halt individual recommendations, re-establish statutory oversight over RAJUK, publish complete applicant lists and selection criteria, and form an independent oversight unit to monitor allotment decisions and investigations.

It also recommended auditing all past allotments to identify multiple ownership and illegal allocations, with recovered plots to be redistributed exclusively to landless and eligible citizens.

A portion of future plots should be reserved for disadvantaged groups, including single mothers, persons with disabilities, low-income earners and retired government employees without housing.