Staff Correspondent:

A Dhaka court has ordered public notices to be published in newspapers summoning deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 22 others, including her family members and several former government officials, to appear in court in connection with five corruption cases over illegal plot allocations.

On Tuesday, Dhaka Metropolitan Senior Special Judge Zakir Hossain Galib issued the order after a hearing, according to Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Public Prosecutor Mir Ahmed Ali Salam.

The ACC lawyer said notices will be published for 23 people, including Hasina, her children Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Rehana’s children — British MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, Azmina Siddiq Ruponti, and Radwan Mujib Siddiq — after they were reported to be absconding.

Salam said the court has set Jul 20 as the date for submitting a report on the matter.

The cases stem from allegations of “irregularities” in the allocation of six plots in the Purbachal New Town Project, under the Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK).

On Tuesday was the scheduled date for six related cases,” said Salam. “In one case, the court had already ordered publication of a gazette on Jun 17, but it has yet to be published.

“In the other five cases, the court received reports that the accused remain at large. So we requested that newspaper notices be issued instead.”

The court granted the request and instructed the government printing office, BG Press, to publish notices in newspapers summoning the accused to appear.

Alongside Hasina and her family, the list of individuals named in the court directive includes former Public Works Department (PWD) secretary Shahid Ullah Khandaker, former additional secretary Kazi Wasi Uddin, Administrative Officer Saiful Islam Sarkar, Senior Assistant Secretary Purabi Goldar, former RAJUK Chairman Anisur Rahman Mia, former members of RAJUK Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Kabir Al Asad, Tanmoy Das, Mohammad Nasir Uddin, Nurul Islam, retired army major Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Shamsuddin Ahmed Chowdhury, director Sheikh Shahinul Islam, deputy directors Md Hafizur Rhman and Habibur Rahman, former prime minister’s private secretary Mohammad Salah Uddin and former state minister for PWD and Housing Sharif Ahmed.

Hasina’s government was ousted in a mass uprising on Aug 5, 2024, following which she fled to India. Other members of her family also left the country.

The ACC launched an investigation into the alleged irregularities in December 2024. Charges were subsequently filed in six separate cases. Arrest warrants have already been issued as the accused remain fugitives.

In one of the cases, on Jun 17, the court had already ordered newspaper notices summoning 12 accused, including Hasina.