UK Labour MP Tulip Siddiq Hit with Additional Four-Year Sentence in Bangladesh Corruption Cases

A court in Dhaka has handed down additional prison sentences to Tulip Siddiq, the British Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate, convicting her in absentia on two fresh corruption charges. The rulings bring her total sentence from Bangladeshi courts to six years, though she is unlikely to serve time due to the lack of an extradition treaty between the UK and Bangladesh.

The latest convictions relate to Siddiq's alleged role in illegally acquiring two prime plots of land in the Purbachal New Town project, a major residential development near Dhaka, for her sister and brother. Prosecutors argued she abused her position as a UK parliamentarian to influence her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the ousted Bangladeshi prime minister, to bypass rules prohibiting applicants who already own property in the capital.

Judge Muhammad Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-6 stated the prosecution had proven "beyond doubt" that Siddiq leveraged her political connection to Hasina. She received a two-year sentence for each plot, to be served consecutively. In the same hearing, her siblings were sentenced to seven years imprisonment.

This trial is part of a sweeping anti-corruption drive targeting Hasina's inner circle following her flight from the country in August 2024 amid mass protests. Hasina herself was sentenced in absentia to five years in this case and faces a separate death sentence for crimes against humanity related to her government's crackdown on demonstrators.

Siddiq, who resigned as City Minister in January last year amid scrutiny of her financial ties to Hasina, has consistently denounced the proceedings as a "kangaroo court." A Labour Party spokesman echoed this, stating, "highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process... and has never been informed of the details of the charges against her," adding that the party does not recognize the judgment.

Analysis & Background: The sentences against Siddiq highlight the ongoing political turmoil in Bangladesh and its international ramifications. The cases are widely seen as part of the current administration's efforts to dismantle the legacy and network of the former ruling family. For the UK, it presents a diplomatic quandary, pitting the principle of non-interference in another nation's judiciary against concerns for the legal rights of a sitting MP. The lack of an extradition treaty effectively shields Siddiq, but the convictions could impact her political career and UK-Bangladesh relations.

Reactions:

• David Chen, Political Analyst at Chatham House: "This is less about one MP and more about Bangladesh's internal power struggle being played out on an international stage. The sentences solidify the current government's narrative of rooting out corruption from the previous regime."
• Sarah Finchley, Constituent in Hampstead: "It's terribly worrying. The allegations are serious, but the process seems flawed. How can she defend herself if she's not properly informed? It feels politically motivated."
• Marcus Thorne, Former Diplomat: "A complete farce and a blatant political weaponization of the judiciary. This is a vengeful campaign by the new regime against the Hasina family and anyone associated with them. The UK government must condemn it in the strongest terms."
• Anika Rahman, Legal Scholar (Dhaka): "The court has followed the evidence as presented. The land allocation rules were clear and were violated. While the political context is unavoidable, the legal basis for the charges appears substantiated in the rulings."