Dhaka, Bangladesh – A court in Bangladesh on Thursday sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in prison for corruption. This comes a week after she was convicted in absentia and sentenced to death by hanging for crimes against humanity.
Hasina, 78, is currently living in India. She has defied court orders to return to Bangladesh. She was sentenced to death on November 17 for ordering a bloody crackdown on a student uprising that toppled her autocratic rule last year.
Corruption and land grabbing cases
Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission has filed three more cases against the former leader. These cases relate to the seizure of lucrative land in a suburb of the capital, Dhaka.
In his ruling, Judge Abdullah Al-Mamoun stated that Hasina’s conduct “demonstrates a deeply entrenched corrupt mentality, rooted in entitlement, absolute power, and greed for public property.” He added, “By treating public lands as private assets, she directed her greed toward state resources and manipulated official procedures to serve her own interests and those of her relatives.”
Provisions that include her children
Several of Hasina’s relatives were also sentenced to prison. Her son, Sajib Wajed, who resides in the United States, and her daughter, Saima Wajed, a former senior UN official, were each sentenced to five years in prison.
Hasina fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of mass student protests demanding an end to her rule.
Appeal and political repercussions
For his part, Attorney General Khan Moinul Hasan told AFP that he would appeal the verdict in the corruption cases. He said, “We are not satisfied with the verdict, because we sought the maximum penalty… We will consult with our client, the Anti-Corruption Commission, and decide on the next course of action.”
Hasina previously described her conviction and death sentence as “biased and politically motivated.” She also faces three other corruption cases, along with her sister Sheikha Rehana and her children, including British MP Tulip Siddiq.
Bangladesh has been experiencing political turmoil since the end of Hasina’s rule. The election campaign, scheduled for February 2026, has been marred by violence. The United Nations has reported that up to 1,400 people were killed in crackdowns ordered by Hasina in her attempt to cling to power.
