Seven new prosecution witnesses testified on Wednesday in three cases filed against 53 people, including former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her sister Sheikh Rehana, over alleged irregularities in the allocation of plots in the RAJUK Purbachal New Town Project.

The witnesses — DSCC office assistant Reshma Begum, revenue supervisor Dewan Md Sayeed, upper division assistants Taiyab Karim and Asaduzzaman, accounting assistant Faruk Sardar, and deputy tax officers Mainul Islam Chishti and Mehedi Hasan — appeared before the Dhaka Special Judge Court-4.

According to ACC public prosecutor Mir Ahammed Salam, after examining the witnesses, Judge Robiul Alam adjourned the hearings until October 30.

Of the seven, Reshma Begum, Dewan Md Sayeed, and Taiyab Karim testified in the case against 17 people, including Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana. Faruk Sardar, Mainul Islam Chishti, and Asaduzzaman gave evidence in the case against 18 people, including Sheikh Hasina and her niece Azmina Siddique, while Faruk Sardar, Mehedi Hasan, and Asaduzzaman testified in another case against 18 people, including Sheikh Hasina and her nephew Radwan Mujib Siddique.

Three more identical cases against 47 people, including Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and her daughter Saima Wazed Putul, are pending at Dhaka Special Judge Court-5. Charges in these cases were framed on July 31, with arrest warrants issued as the accused remain absconding.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged the six cases between January 12 and 14, 2025, and filed charge sheets on March 10. The cases involve alleged irregularities in plot allocations ranging from 10 to 18 plots, naming several family members, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Saima Wazed Putul, Radwan Mujib Siddique, Tulip Siddiq, and Azmina Siddique.

Earlier, on July 20, the Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge had forwarded the matters to trial courts after the accused failed to appear despite court orders.

MN/