Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina and British MP Tulip Siddiq Sentenced for Corruption
In a significant legal development, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been condemned to a five-year prison term by a Dhaka court. Her niece, Tulip Siddiq, who serves as a Member of Parliament for the British Labour Party, received a two-year sentence. The ruling stems from corruption charges related to a government land project.
The presiding judge, Rabiul Alam, from the Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka, declared that Hasina abused her authority during her tenure as Prime Minister. Siddiq was found guilty of improperly influencing Hasina to secure a land plot for her mother, Sheikh Rehana, and her siblings. Rehana, identified as the principal offender, faces a seven-year sentence.
Additionally, the court imposed a fine of $813 on each of them and revoked the controversial land allocation to Rehana. The case comprises 14 other accused individuals.
Reacting to the judgment, Hasina’s political faction, the Awami League, criticized the decision as politically motivated, claiming, “The allegations against Sheikh Hasina, her sister, and many others including members of her immediate and wider family are firmly denied.” They further questioned the fairness of the judicial process, a stance supported by both national and international legal experts.
Tulip Siddiq, who represents London’s Hampstead and Highgate in the UK Parliament, dismissed the verdict as “a complete farce.” She emphasized her dedication to her constituents, stating, “My focus has always been my constituents in Hampstead and Highgate and I refuse to be distracted by the dirty politics of Bangladesh.”
The prosecution maintained that Siddiq was tried as a Bangladeshi national, citing possession of her passport and national identity documents. However, Siddiq contested this, asserting her status as a British citizen.
Khan Mohammed Mainul Hasan, the prosecutor for the anti-corruption body, expressed disappointment with the sentencing, as they had sought life imprisonment for the primary accused. “We expected life sentences, (but) that did not happen. We will consult with the commission for our next course of action,” he remarked.
Earlier this year, Siddiq resigned from her role as a minister in Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Cabinet, citing her familial connections as a growing “distraction from the work of the government.”
The British Labour Party has refused to acknowledge the judgment, criticizing the lack of fair legal procedures and highlighting Siddiq’s unawareness of the charges prior to the ruling.
Sheikh Hasina, who was sentenced to death last November for human rights violations during a mass uprising, remains in exile in India. Her trials, including the current one, were conducted in absentia.
The absence of defense representation for Hasina and her co-defendants was noted, as Rehana and Siddiq’s siblings, who also face charges, reside overseas.
In a related case concerning the same land project, another court sentenced Hasina to 21 years in prison late last month. Her son and daughter were each sentenced to five years in the same proceedings.
Currently, Bangladesh is governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. An announcement regarding the next parliamentary elections is expected in February.
