Bangladesh Court Sentences Ex-PM Hasina to Decade in Prison, UK MP Niece Also Convicted in Land Scandal
DHAKA — In a verdict that reverberates through Bangladesh's fraught political landscape, a special anti-corruption court on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison. Her niece, Tulip Siddiq, a sitting member of the British Parliament, received a four-year sentence for her role in a illicit land acquisition scheme.
Judge Mohammed Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge’s Court-4 also imposed seven-year terms on another niece, Azmina Siddiq, and a nephew, Radwan Mujib Siddiq. The cases, initiated by the country's Anti-Corruption Commission, centered on the illegal allocation of six plots in the Purbachal New Town Project, a major government housing development near Dhaka.
The prosecution successfully argued that Hasina, during her tenure, colluded with officials to secure the valuable plots for herself and family members who were ineligible under existing regulations. This latest conviction adds to a growing list of legal troubles for the former leader, who was ousted in a mass uprising in August 2024 and now lives in exile in India.
The timing of the judgment is politically charged, landing just weeks before scheduled February 12 elections overseen by the interim administration of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. Hasina's Awami League party remains barred from participation.
Both Hasina and Siddiq have consistently denied all charges, labeling the judicial process a politically motivated sham. Siddiq, in a statement from London, reiterated that as a non-Bangladeshi citizen, she never received any land. "This is a transparent attempt to smear my family's name and influence the upcoming poll," she asserted. The prosecution maintained she used her influence to secure plots for her mother and siblings.
Hasina faces a cumulative prison sentence of 36 years from five separate corruption cases related to the Purbachal project. Multiple family members, including her son and daughter, have also been convicted in absentia. Separately, she stands condemned to death on charges of crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 uprising—a verdict she decries as the work of a "kangaroo court."
Bangladesh's request for Hasina's extradition from India remains unanswered, casting a long shadow over bilateral relations and the enforceability of the court's decisions.
Analysis & Reaction
Legal experts view the verdict as a critical test for Bangladesh's judicial independence amidst a deep political crisis. "The court has sent a powerful message about accountability, regardless of status," observed Dr. Anika Chowdhury, a political analyst at Dhaka University. "However, its ultimate impact hinges on whether these sentences move from paper to reality, given the exile of the convicted."
The reaction from the public and commentators was sharply divided.
"Finally, a sliver of justice," said Rafiqul Islam, a small business owner in Dhaka. "For years, the powerful operated with impunity. This ruling, though symbolic for now, is a necessary step to dismantle that culture."
Offering a more cynical take, Priya Basu, a columnist for a regional affairs digest, commented: "This has less to do with justice and everything to do with election-era theatre. The interim government is consolidating its narrative by criminalizing the opposition. It's a familiar, tragic playbook."
The most pointed criticism came from Marcus Thorne, a human rights advocate based in Brussels. "Let's be brutally honest," he stated. "This is a vendetta dressed in judicial robes. Trying a former leader in absentia on politically convenient charges, while the country is under an unelected caretaker government, fails every smell test. It undermines the very rule of law it claims to uphold."