Dhaka, Bangladesh – A special court in Bangladesh sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and several members of her family to prison after convicting them in corruption cases involving abuse of power and the illegal acquisition of government properties. Special Court No. 4, presided over by Judge Mohammad Rabiul Alam, sentenced Sheikh Hasina to 10 years in prison. Her niece, British MP Tulip Siddique, was sentenced to four years. Additionally, the court handed down seven-year prison sentences to Hasina’s niece, Azmana Siddique, and her nephew, Rizwan Mujib Siddique, on the same charges.
The case stems from allegations filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission, accusing Hasina of colluding with government officials to illegally allocate six plots of land in the Purpakkal New Town housing project near the capital, Dhaka. The court stated that the allocation of these plots was done unlawfully in favor of Hasina and members of her family, a clear violation of government regulations that prohibit them from benefiting from the project. These rulings come at a highly sensitive political juncture, as the country is currently governed by a caretaker government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. Bangladesh is also preparing for general elections scheduled for February 12. A decision has been issued banning Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party from participating in the upcoming elections, casting a shadow of uncertainty over the party’s future in the country.
