A court in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison for corruption related to a government land project. Her niece, Tulip Siddiq, a British Labour Party lawmaker, received a two-year sentence for her involvement in the case. Judge Rabiul Alam announced the verdict on Monday, stating that Hasina abused her power as prime minister and that Siddiq improperly influenced her aunt to benefit her family.
The corruption case centers around a government land project in which Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, was deemed the primary participant. She has been sentenced to seven years in prison. Additionally, all three defendants were fined $813 each, and the land plot allocated to Rehana was annulled. There are 14 other suspects linked to this case.
The ruling Awami League party, which Hasina leads, labeled the verdict as “entirely predictable” and argued that the anti-corruption body is merely a political tool. A statement from the party asserted, “The allegations against Sheikh Hasina, her sister, and many others including members of her immediate and wider family are firmly denied.” The party emphasized that the judicial process lacks fairness, a sentiment echoed by both local and international legal experts.
Siddiq, who represents the Hampstead and Highgate areas in the UK Parliament, challenged the court’s jurisdiction over her, asserting her British citizenship. She described the verdict as “a complete farce,” stating, “The outcome of this kangaroo court is as predictable as it is unjustified.” Her focus, she claimed, remains on her constituents, distancing herself from what she termed “the dirty politics of Bangladesh.”
The prosecution originally sought life imprisonment for the defendants, but the sentences imposed fell short of their expectations. Khan Mohammed Mainul Hasan, the prosecutor for the anti-corruption watchdog, indicated they would consult with the commission regarding their next steps. The British government has been notified of Siddiq’s conviction, and the Labour Party has expressed its position that it cannot recognize the judgment due to the unfair legal process Siddiq faced.
In January, Siddiq stepped down from her role as a government minister under pressure due to her familial ties to Hasina, despite asserting she had been cleared of any wrongdoing. She resigned to avoid distraction from the government’s work.
In a related development, Hasina was sentenced to death in November 2023 for crimes against humanity resulting from the crackdown on protests that ended her 15-year rule. Currently living in exile in India, all her trials have been held in absentia. Hasina, Siddiq, and Rehana did not appoint defense lawyers for their case.
The political landscape in Bangladesh is shifting under the interim government led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, who has announced that the next parliamentary election is scheduled for February. On November 27, a separate court sentenced Hasina to 21 years in prison for other charges related to the same township project, with her children also receiving five-year sentences each.
The unfolding legal battles and political turmoil underscore the complexities surrounding governance and accountability in Bangladesh.
