Hasina Sentenced to 21 Years in Purbachal Land Scam Cases

In three cases connected to the Purbachal land allotment controversy, former prime minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to 21 years in prison.

Her daughter Saima Wazed Putu and son Sajeeb Wazed Joy were sentenced to five years in jail in one of these cases.

Saiful Islam Sarkar, a former administrative officer of the Housing and Public Works Ministry, was found not guilty in all three trials, while 19 of the other 20 accused received different jail sentences.

The 78-year-old Hasina will serve consecutive terms, according to Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-5. Since Hasina is now in India, the decision was made without their presence.

The International Crimes Tribunal had already sentenced Hasina to death on November 17 for allegedly committing crimes against humanity during last year's July rebellion.

The Anti-Corruption Commission accused Hasina of fraudulently obtaining six 10-katha plots in Sector 27's diplomatic zone of the Purbachal New Town project in six distinct cases filed with the Dhaka Integrated District Office-1 between January 12 and 14. Despite not satisfying eligibility standards, the ACC claimed she worked with senior Rajuk officials to do this for herself and a number of family members, including Joy, Putu, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana's children Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby and Azmina Siddiq.

Hasina was named as a common accused in the charge sheets that the ACC submitted to the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge's Court in Dhaka on March 25 for each of the six cases. Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putu, Bobby, Tulip, and Azmina were among the 29 people who were officially charged on July 31.