Hasina awarded 830 plots to ‘loyalists and sycophants’

Bureaucrat Helaluddin Ahmed was secretary of the election commission (EC) during 11th parliamentary election in 2018, that earned the infamy of “night-time vote”. Helaluddin was given a plot of 7-katha in RAJUK’s Purbachal project five months before that election. He was given the plot for “outstanding role” in government services.

After the Bangladesh Awami League came to power in the “night election”, Helaluddin was made secretary of the local government department. After his retirement in 2022, Helaluddin was made a member of the Public Service Commission (PSC).

Helaluddin went into hiding after the fall of the Awami League government on 5 August last year. He was arrested on 23 October that year and remains in jail since then.

Pinu Khan was an MP in the reserved seat for women in the 9th parliamentary election in 2014, which was marred by boycott of opposition parties. Her son Bokhtiar Alam alias Roni was given a plot in the Purbachal project in 2013 for “outstanding contribution” at national level.

Bokhtiar shot two rickshaw pullers in the city’s Eskaton in 2015 for being stuck at a traffic jam. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in the case in 2019 and in jail since then.

Thus, the Awami League government offered Rajuk plots to persons close to the party or its chief, ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, for “remarkable contributions” in different sectors.

They were given plots at RAJUK’s housing projects named Purbachal New Town, Uttara 3rd phase project and Jhilmil Housing Project only at Tk 200,000 to Tk 300,000 per katha. However, the price of per katha land was much higher at that time. The price tag of each katha land in these projects is more than Tk 10 million now. RAJUK sells plots of 3, 5,7 and 10 katha. Some of the beneficiaries have already sold the plots they received in quota.

Prothom Alo ran an investigation for two and half months to find out how many plots were distributed under section 13(A) of allotment of land rules of RAJUK for “outstanding contributions”. To date the names of 830 such plot recipients can be recovered. RAJUK officials said some more individuals were given plots under this section. Work is on to prepare a full list.

Analysing the names of the plot recipients, Prothom Alo found that most plots were grabbed by the MPs of the last three parliaments (9th, 10th and 11th). At least 256 former MPs got the plots while at least 22 ministers, 12 state ministers and 39 secretaries were among the recipients of plots for their “remarkable contributions”.

Other than politicians and bureaucrats, 30 journalists, 30 artistes and cultural activists received the RAJUK plots. The long list of the beneficiaries include leaders of Awami League, Jubo League and Bangladesh Chhatra League, businessmen, contractors, judges, expatriates, lawyers and university teachers.

These people are mainly known as influentials or sycophants of Awami League. Some of them even grabbed plots through lobbying.

Autocrat Sheikh Hasina’s assignment officers, personal officers, personal assistants and at least 15 drivers of the prime minister’s office also got plots.

Plots were also allocated to Sheikh Hasina and her family members as well. Hasina received a 10-katha plot in Purbachal; her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, daughter Saima Wazed, younger sister Sheikh Rehana (Rehana Siddiq), her son Radwan Mujib Siddiq and daughter Azmina Siddiq alias Ruponti were also allocated 10-katha plot each in Purbachal.

In total, six of the family received 60 katha land. Each 10-katha plot was priced at Tk 3 million which was paid in 2022.

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) recently filed cases against Hasina and six members of her family on charges of attaining allocated plots in Dhaka’s Purbachal through misuse of power and irregularities.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Hasina’s nephew and Jubo League president Sheikh Fazle Shams Porosh also got a plot in Purbachal.

The recipients of the plots include “godfather”, money embezzler, loan defaulter, controversial individuals and daughters of former ministers and secretaries.

RAJUK sources said that applications for plots were made to the Prime Minister’s Office and the housing and public works ministry. At that time, with the consent of Sheikh Hasina, the PMO would decide who would get the plot. Later, the list would be sent to RAJUK through the ministry. The board of RAJUK would only approve the papers .

Housing and public works secretary Hamidur Rahman Khan told Prothom Alo on 15 January in his office that a committee has been formed by the court to review the plots allocated by RAJUK under the reserved quota and “outstanding contributions” quota. The ministry will take action according to the committee’s recommendations.

He further said that the current interim government has repealed 13(A) of the RAJUK plot allocation rules regarding and section 7 regarding reserved quota.

The High Court formed a three-member committee on 24 October last year to investigate allegations of irregularities in the allocation of plots by RAJUK between 2009 and 2024.

High Court division’s retired justice Miftah Uddin Chowdhury, lawyer Jasim Uddin Sarkar and engineer Alamgir Hasin are members of this committee. They have been asked to submit a report within 120 days.

Justice Miftah Uddin Chowdhury told Prothom Alo on 18 January that the government has been asked to make sitting arrangements for the committee members and provide manpower. It has not been received yet. The sooner the government makes these arrangements, the sooner it will be possible to start work.

“Our responsibility is to see whether the plots have been given within the rules or not. We will submit a report accordingly. The court will give the final decision,” he added.

RAJUK has three housing projects in Dhaka city. Of these, Purbachal project has a total of 26,213 plots, Jhilmil project has 1,774 plots and Uttara 3rd phase has 8,414 plots.

Allegation against RAJUK is that it has developed these housing projects by acquiring lands from mass people at a nominal price (Tk 15,000 to Tk 20,000 per katha). The influential persons were allocated lands in these projects through reserve quota. Officials of RAJUK also received plots. But they pay little or no interest in making the city livable.

A review of the list of people who received plots from RAJUK shows that the 22 former ministers received plots for their “outstanding contributions”.

The list includes Shajahan Khan, Faruk Khan, Anisul Huq, Rajiuddin Ahmed alias Raju, Mofazzal Hossain Chowdhury alias Maya, Asaduzzaman Khan, AKM Mozammel Haque, Zahid Maleque, Dipu Moni, Tajul Islam, Quamrul Islam, Nuruzzaman Ahmed, Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, RAM Ubaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, Nurul Islam B.Sc., Mojibul Haque, Afsarul Amin (deceased), Abdul Matin Khasru (deceased), Suranjit Sen Gupta (deceased) and Mohibul Hassan Chowdhoury.

A total of 12 state ministers, who received plots are Nazmul Hassan alias Papon, Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Major (retd) Rafiqul Islam, Mujibur Rahman Fakir, Dipankar Talukder, Pramod Mankin, Swapan Bhattacharya, Abdul Hai, Enamur Rahman, Meher Afroz Chumki, Shamsul Alam and Wasika Ayesha Khan.

Many were allocated plots despite having plots or flats in Dhaka, which is a violation of the law. One such man is Kamal Ahmed Majumder who told Prothom Alo back in 2021 that he has an ancestral home in Dhaka. Kamal is now in jail.

Former speaker Shirin Sharmin Chowdhury received a 10-katha plot of RAJUK. Hasina’s security affairs adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique and economic affairs adviser Moshiur Rahman received 10-katha plots each.

Sheikh Sarhan Naser Tonmoy was elected an MP from Bagerhat-2 in the “night election” in 2018. Tonmoy is the son of Sheikh Hasina’s cousin Sheikh Helal. He was allocated a 10-katha plot soon after becoming a lawmaker. Most of the 256 lawmakers allocated plots are members of the Awami League.

Among the former lawmakers who received plots include Shamim Osman, Nizam Uddin Hazari, Haji Md Salim, Shahin Chakladar, Saifuzzaman Shikhar, Nurunnabi Chowdhury alias Shawon, Fahim Golandaz, Tanvir Hasan alias Chhoto Monir, Talukder Mohammad Touhid Jung Murad, Mrinal Kanti Das, Selim Altaf George, Sheikh Afil Uddin, Pankaj Debnath, Mahbub ul Alam Hanif, Sukumar Ranjan Ghosh, Naimur Rahman Durjoy, Omar Faruq Chowdhury, Shahdab Akbar Chowdhury, Saimum Sarwar Kamal, Abu Reza Muhammad Nezam Uddin Nadavi, Professor Md Ali Ashraf (deceased), Badiuzzaman Sohag, Fazilatunnesa Bappi (deceased), Bazlul Haque Harun (BH Harun), Zafar Alam, Anwarul Azim Anar (murdered in India), Ashek Ullah Rafiq, Najma Akhter, Samil Uddin Ahmed (Shimul) and others.

Some of them are in prison while most of them are in hiding since the ouster of the Awami League government.

Samil Uddin, a former lawmaker of Chapainawabganj-1, fled to India after the fall of Awami League. He told Prothom Alo on 15 January that he received the plot as a lawmaker like many others. He said he attained the plot applying under section 13 (A) which states “remakable contributions”.

The former MPs of Jatiya Party (JaPa) who attained plots include Roushan Ershad, Pir Fazlur Rahman, Shamim Haider Patwari, Liakat Hossain Khoka, Nasrin Jahan Ratna, Shawkat Chowdhury, Nurul Islam Talukder, Rawshan Ara Mannan, Nurul Islam Omar and Ziaul Haque Mridha.

There are also defaulters among those who got plots. One of them is Mahzabin Morshed. In January 2023, the court barred her and her husband Morshed Murad Ibrahim, along with four others, from leaving the country in a Tk 3 billion default case.

Former BNP MP Syeda Asifa Ashrafi Papia also got a plot from RAJUK.

Former BNP MP Abdus Sattar Bhuiyan, who contested in the Brahmanbaria-2 by-election in 2023 with the support of the governing Awami League and left the party, also got a plot. Mahi B Chowdhury, senior joint secretary general of Bikalpa Dhara Bangladesh, Rezaul Karim (Tansen) of JASAD, and Mustafa Lutfullah of Bangladesh Workers Party also received the plots.

Upama Barua, daughter of Dilip Barua, general secretary of Bangladesh Samyabadi Dal and education minister in Sheikh Hasina’s cabinet, also received a plot.

Many bureaucrats got embroiled in partisanship during the reign of the Awami League. Many bureaucrats are accused of aiding and abetting one-sided and staged elections during the Awami League. They received their perks in return.

The Awami League government provided plots to at least 39 former and current bureaucrats for their service. Of them, 18 were allocated plots just two months before the 12th parliamentary election that earned the infamy of “dummy election”.

Those who received plots at that time include  Jahangir Alam, the then secretary of the EC.

Other former and current secretaries who received plots include Ahmed Kaikaus, Mahbub Hossain, Fazle Kabir (former governor of Bangladesh Bank), Sheikh Yusuf Harun, Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, Mostafizur Rahman, Muhammad Ibrahim, Amin Ullah Noori, Kamal Uddin Ahmed, Akhtar Hossain, Ashraf Uddin, Moinul Kabir, Sultan Ahmed, Syed Afsar H Uddin, AKM Fazlul Haque, Nabirul Islam, Abdullah Al Masud Chowdhury, Farid Ahmed, Selim Reza, Ahmed Munirus Salehin, Humayun Kabir Khandaker, Abul Kashem Mohammad Mohiuddin, Ziaul Hasan, Abu Bakr Siddique, Sheikh Muhammad Salim Ullah, Humayun Kabir, Muhammad Yamin Chowdhury, Khairul Alam Sheikh, Abdus Salam, Israt Chowdhury and Zakir Hossain Akand.

Planning commission’s former secretary Jakir Hossain Akanda told Prothom Alo on 15 January that he applied for the plot after being a secretary. He was given a 5-katha plot in Purbachal.

In reply to what contribution fetched him the plot, Jakir Hossain replied, “I don’t know what contribution I had for the state. I did not mention anything. I only mentioned that I didn’t receive any plot from the government in the past.”

He said he applied under section 13 (A).

Police were accused of ingratiating themselves with Awami League. They also received plots. Former additional inspector general of police Mokhlesur Rahman, former deputy inspector general Abdul Baten, Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s former joint commissioner Biplab Kumar Sarker and former police inspector Mohammad Moniruzzaman are among those who received plots.

The AL government also provided plots to wives and children of a former president, ministers, AL leaders, secretaries and police officers in the “outstanding contributions” quota.

Former president Abdul Hamid’s son Rasel Ahmed, former state minister for home Shamsul Haque Tuku’s son Asif Shams, Dhaka city south Awami League’s president Abu Ahmed Mannafi’s son Abu Saleh Mahmud Mannafi, former local government secretary Abdul Maleque’s daughter Nabila Tabassum Miky, former local government secretary Abu Alam Mohammad Shahid Khan’s daughter Shyamaita Khan and former DMP commissioner Asaduzzaman Mia’s wife Afroza Jaman also received plots.

Former state minister for housing and public works Sharif Ahmed received a plot. His daughter Shefali Begum is a joint secretary at the planning ministry. She received a 5-katha plot. Both husband and wife received plots under section 13 (A).

Speaking about this, Shefali Begum claimed to Prothom Alo on 15 January that her husband received a plot after being an MP. He later returned the plot after being a state minister. However, the name of Sharif Ahmed is still in the list of recipients of plots.

Three sisters are also on the list of plot recipients. They are Kazi Nishat Rasul, Kazi Nahid Rasul and Kazi Tuhin Rasul. They all are officials of the administration cadre. They all received 5-katha each plot.

Kazi Nishat Rasul was assistant personal secretary (APS) of Sheikh Hasina. She was made an officer on special duty (OSD) on 29 November. Kazi Nahid Rasul was deputy commissioner (DC) of Munshiganj and Gaibandha. The interim government withdrew her. Kazi Tuhin Rasul was deputy secretary of the president’s office. They are daughters of Kazi Golam Rasul, who was the judge of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman murder case.

Asked about the plot, Kazi Tuhin Rasul told Prothom Alo, “I had been living abroad for a long time. I won’t be able to articulate you well. That’s why I don’t want to talk to you regarding this issue.”

Many influential leaders of Awami League, its affiliates, associates and fraternity organisations received plots in the “remarkable contributions” category.

The list includes AL organising secretary Sujit Kumar Roy Nandi, former central organising secretary Misbah Uddin Siraj and AL’s Dhaka district unit general secretary Paniruzzaman alias Tarun.

Former mayor of Sylhet City Corporation Anwaruzzaman Chowdhury, Krishak League organising secretary Asaduzzaman Biplob, former president of Sramik League Shukkur Mahmud, Bangabandhu Lawyers Council founder Laikuzzaman Molla, BCL’s former general secretary Siddique Nazmul Alam, former Swechchhasebak League president Molla Mohammad Abu Kausar, among others, received the plots.

AL’s Dhaka city south unit joint general secretary Mohiuddin Ahmed alias Mohi received a plot of RAJUK in the same category. He sold 7,398 bhoris of gold of the depositors in 2020 when he was the chairman of the Bangladesh Samabaya Bank. The current market price of that gold is about 1 billion. The ACC filed a lawsuit against Mohiuddin Ahmed, who is now in hiding.

Individuals living abroad but were involved in Awami League also received plots. One of them was Gausul Alam Shajada, former president of Awami League’s Sydney unit in Australia, who got a 5-katha plot.

Transparency International Bangladesh (TIB) executive director Iftekharuzzaman told Prothom Alo that a reserved quota was created to facilitate a special class.

He pointed out that those who were loyal and flattering to the government were allotted the plots. The nation was betrayed by allotting plots on the pretext of remarkable contributions.

The matter of plot allotment must not be limited to the family of the former prime minister and others concerned must also be held accountable, Iftekharuzzaman added.

At least 30 journalists from newspapers, television and online news portals were allotted plots in the remarkable contributions quota.

Among them are Abu Zafar Surya, Rahul Raha, Nazmul Hasan, Shahriar Shahid, Nazim Uddin Shyamal, Saiful Islam Kallol, Faruk Hossain, Muslim Uddin Ahmed Pipul, Ratan Kanti Debashish, Deep Azad, Madhusudan Mondal, Bithi Zaman Chowdhury, Rafiqul Islam Sabuj, Arefin Faisal, Shamim Ahmed, Sharifuzzaman Pintu, Anisur Rahman, Ayub Bhuiyan, Rafiqul Islam Ratan, Ashok Chowdhury, BM Jahangir, Poppy Chowdhury and SM Gorky.

Film actor Arifin Shuvoo came to the limelight after signing a deal on the remuneration of Tk 1 for acting in the Bangabandhu biopic last year but the Awami League government rewarded him with a 10-katha plot in Purbachal.

Besides, at least 30 artistes and cultural activists received the RAJUK plot. Mir Sabbir Mahmud, Rana Hamid, Liton Haider, Russell Asheki, Begum Meena Barua, Sayla Sabrin, Meher Afroz Shawon and Mahfuz Ahmed are among them.

The RAJUK acquired land in Purbachal in 1995. The land owners were supposed to receive plots as compensation but many of them did not get it and they are still going to RAJUK to get it. One such land owner was Halima Khatun. This correspondent met her in Purbachal on 18 January.

She told Prothom Alo that the government took 1.07 acres of land owned by her family. She applied for plots but did not get it as she did not bribe officials. “The government took everything from me, and they gave plots to the rich, not me.”

The RAJUK allots plots under the Dhaka Improvement Trust (Allotment of lands) Rules, 1969. A new subsection (13/A) was added to the rules incorporating the provision for allotting plots for “remarkable contributions”. The subsection was amended again in 2009 stating that people of 12 professions/classes can apply for plots for “remarkable contributions”.

These professions/classes are ministers, state ministers, deputy ministers, MPs, judges, freedom fighters, journalists, government employees, employees of autonomous organisations, armed forces, businesspeople, industrialists, private service holders; artistes, literary and sports personalities; foreign exchange earners and others.

Supreme Court lawyer Shahdeen Malik told Prothom Alo every country has traditions to reward individuals for their extraordinary contributions. But most individuals receiving the RAJUK plots for remarkable contributions were apparently close to the government.

According to him, a file needs to be opened when an individual is allotted a plot for their remarkable contributions and their contributions are recorded in documents, followed by verifying through a committee.

Expressing doubts whether the process was followed or not, he expressed that even if it had happened it was just for formalities.

Shadeen Malik further stated people who were allotted plots must be served with notice and allowed self-defence; if their explanations are found to be irrational, plot allotment must be revoked.

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