The formal trial has begun against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul in six cases filed over alleged fraud in the allotment of a 30-katha plot in the Purbachal New Town Project.

Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun of Dhaka`s Special Judge Court-5 framed charges in three of the cases, while Judge Rabiul Alam of Special Judge Court-4 framed charges in the remaining three on Thursday.

With this, the formal trial proceedings in all six cases have commenced.

As the accused are absconding, the court has issued arrest warrants against them. The court has also fixed August 13 for the recording of witness testimonies.

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam said that charges have been framed against the accused in six cases related to corruption in RAJUK plot allocations. Arrest warrants have been issued as the accused did not appear before the court.

Earlier, on July 20, six corruption cases filed by the ACC over irregularities in RAJUK plot allocations—allegedly involving Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed Putul, sister Sheikh Rehana, and others—were transferred to two separate courts for trial.

Other accused in the cases include Sheikh Rehana’s daughters Tulip Siddiq and Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, Housing and Public Works Ministry Secretary Shahid Ullah Khandaker, Additional Secretary (Administration) Kazi Wasi Uddin, Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarkar, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, former RAJUK Chairman Anisur Rahman Mia, former RAJUK Estate and Land Member Mohammad Khurshid Alam, RAJUK Member (Administration and Finance) Kabir Al Asad, RAJUK Member (Development Control) Tanmoy Das, RAJUK Member (Estate and Land) Nurul Islam, former Planning Member Mohammad Nasir Uddin, former Member Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Director (Estate and Land-2) Sheikh Shahinul Islam, Deputy Directors Hafizur Rahman and Habibur Rahman, former State Minister Sharif Ahmed, and the Prime Minister’s former Personal Secretary Salauddin.

The ACC filed the six cases in January this year over alleged corruption in the allocation of residential plots.