Two separate courts in Dhaka have ordered the start of trial in six cases filed against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and 23 others on charges of abusing their power to obtain government plots for the Purbachal New City project of the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartik (RAJUK).

Today (Thursday), Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court-5 framed charges against the accused in three cases. In one of these cases, 12 people including Sheikh Hasina, in another, 17 people including Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Sheikh Hasina, and in the other case, 18 people including Saima Wazed Putul and Sheikh Hasina.

On the other hand, in the remaining 3 cases, Judge Md. Rabiul Alam of Dhaka Special Judge's Court-4 framed charges against the accused. In one of these cases, 17 accused including Sheikh Rehana, Tulip and Sheikh Hasina have been made accused. In another case, 18 accused including Azmina, Tulip and Sheikh Hasina and in the other case, 18 accused including Radwan, Tulip and Sheikh Hasina have been made accused. Arrest warrants have been issued against the accused as they are absconding.

ACC Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam confirmed the matter and said that charges have been framed against the accused in six cases of corruption in plot allocation. These cases are pending in two special judge courts in Dhaka. The court has fixed August 11 as the date for taking testimony in the three ongoing cases in Special Judge Court-5. And August 13 has been fixed as the date for taking testimony in the remaining three cases in Special Judge Court-4.

The ACC filed six separate cases in January on allegations of corruption in plot allocation. Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed (Putul), sister Sheikh Rehana, Rehana's daughter and British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddique, son Radwan Mujib Siddique and another daughter Azmina Siddique, along with many others, were named as accused in the case. The case alleges that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her family abused their power while holding the highest positions in the government. Despite being ineligible, they were allotted plots of 10 kathas each in Sector 27 of the Purbachal Housing Project.