A court in Dhaka, Bangladesh, has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, UK Labour Party MP Tulip Siddiq, to two years, over corruption linked to a land acquisition scheme. The convictions were handed down in absentia, as Hasina has lived in exile in India following a political uprising last year.

The case centers on allegations that Hasina misused her power as prime minister to facilitate the acquisition of government plots in Dhaka for her family, including her sister Sheikh Rehana and her children. Rehana was sentenced to seven years in prison, with fines of 100,000 taka ($820), which would result in an additional six months if unpaid.

Charges Against Tulip Siddiq

Tulip Siddiq, MP for Hampstead and Highgate in London, was found guilty of corruptly influencing Hasina to allocate land to her mother and siblings. Prosecutors presented evidence of encrypted communications and meetings between Siddiq and Salahuddin Ahmed, Hasina’s principal secretary, detailing her involvement in lobbying for the land.

According to Khan Mainul Hasan, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) prosecutor:

“Tulip insisted that her aunt Sheikh Hasina allocate plots for her mother and siblings, as she herself took three – one for her and two for her children.”

The case included 14 other individuals, each receiving five-year prison sentences for their roles in the land scandal.

Political Context and Denials

Hasina and Siddiq have rejected the allegations, describing the verdicts as politically motivated. Hasina, recently sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity related to last year’s protests, called the corruption trial flawed:

“No country is free from corruption. But corruption needs to be investigated in a way that is not itself corrupt. The ACC has failed that test today.”

The Awami League, Hasina’s political party, described the convictions as predictable and accused Bangladesh’s anticorruption watchdog of being a political tool. Siddiq, who previously resigned as the UK’s minister responsible for financial services and anticorruption efforts due to scrutiny over her family ties, has similarly dismissed the charges as a “politically motivated smear.”

Citizenship and Legal Implications

Bangladesh authorities tried Siddiq as a Bangladeshi citizen, citing her Bangladeshi passport, national ID card, and tax number. Siddiq has disputed these claims, maintaining she is solely a British citizen. The UK does not have an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, complicating any potential enforcement of the sentence.

Additional Sentences

The court has handed down further sentences to Hasina and her family in related cases involving the same Dhaka township project. These include:

• Hasina: 21 years in absentia for illegally securing plots for herself and her family
• Hasina’s son and daughter: five-year prison sentences each

The rulings underscore ongoing political and legal turbulence in Bangladesh, as the former ruling family faces multiple investigations related to alleged corruption and misuse of public office.