Sajeeb Wazed Joy Rejects Charges, Says Family Targeted Politically

A court has sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in prison in three cases filed over allegations of abusing power to secure plot allocations from the Capital Development Authority in Purbachal.

Her daughter Saima Wazed Putul and Sajeeb Wazed Joy have each been sentenced to five years in prison.

Additionally, a fine of one lakh taka has been imposed.

In its observation, the court said that plots were allocated in the names of Sheikh Hasina and her family members without any application and beyond legal jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, speaking to BBC Bangla about the verdict, Sajeeb Wazed Joy said, “A false case has been fabricated against us so that we cannot contest the election. The main purpose of these verdicts is to prevent my mother and any member of my family from participating in the election.”

On Thursday, Dhaka’s Fifth Special Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun announced the verdict.

Strict security measures were taken around the Dhaka Metropolitan Sessions Judge Court area on Thursday in connection with the verdict.

From early morning, a large number of law enforcement personnel, including police and BGB, were deployed in the court premises.

Before the verdict was announced, Sajeeb Wazed Joy spoke to BBC Bangla. There he claimed, “A false case has been fabricated against us so that we cannot contest the election.”

Responding to allegations that the RAJUK plots were obtained through irregularities, he claimed they had not violated any laws.

He said, “I do not have any land of my own. The land I have belonged to my father. I have never purchased any land in Dhaka or anywhere in Bangladesh. My cousins do not have any land of their own either. Whatever ancestral property they received is all they have.”

“So it is clear that those who do not own any land can purchase one. Among the five of us siblings, we do not have any land in Bangladesh except our ancestral property. This is the only land we bought for the first time with our own funds.”

“But the law is very clear here. Those who do not own land can purchase one. Now you can check whether I have any other land in Bangladesh, whether my cousins have any other houses. We do not have any land.”

Source: BBC