Bangladesh court jails ex-PM Sheikh Hasina for 5 years; her niece and UK MP Tulip Siddiq gets 2-year term in land scam
PTC Web Desk: A Dhaka court on Monday sentenced Bangladesh’s deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison, while her niece and British MP Tulip Siddiq received a two-year jail term in a high-profile land corruption case.
The verdict was delivered by Judge Md Rabiul Alam of Dhaka’s Special Judge’s Court-4 in a courtroom filled to capacity. Hasina, Siddiq and Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, who was sentenced to seven years, were all tried in absentia. Fourteen other accused individuals were each handed a five-year prison sentence.
The court also imposed a fine of Tk 1 lakh on all 17 convicts, including the former prime minister, her sister and her niece. Failure to pay the fine will result in an additional six months of imprisonment.
Siddiq, a Labour MP representing Hampstead and Highgate since 2015, has strongly denied the allegations. She is currently based in London and is unlikely to face imprisonment due to the absence of an extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Bangladesh.
The case stems from accusations that Hasina and senior Rajuk officials illegally obtained six large residential plots in Dhaka’s Purbachal New Town project for Hasina’s family members, despite rules making them ineligible. Investigators alleged that Siddiq used her influence to facilitate plot allocations for her mother Rehana and siblings Bobby and Azmina.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) lodged multiple cases in January last year, followed by charge sheets naming 17 accused individuals. This latest ruling marks the fourth graft conviction against the 78-year-old former premier.
Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5 last year after massive protests brought down her Awami League government. She has since been living in India and was declared a fugitive by a Dhaka court.
Last month, a special tribunal sentenced her to death in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the violent crackdown on student-led demonstrations. Hasina maintains that all charges against her are politically motivated.
Bangladesh has formally requested India to extradite the former prime minister, stating that the “judicial process has now been completed.” New Delhi has said it is examining the request.
- With inputs from agencies
