Former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina and UK MP Tulip Siddiq Convicted in Corruption Case

A Dhaka court has sentenced former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison and her niece, British Labour Party MP Tulip Siddiq, to two years for corruption involving the Purbachal New Town land project.

Judge Rabiul Alam of Dhaka's Special Judge's Court found Hasina guilty of abusing her power as prime minister, while Siddiq was convicted of influencing her aunt to secure land for family members. Siddiq's mother, Sheikh Rehana, received a seven-year sentence and was deemed the primary participant in the case.

Each defendant was fined 100,000 taka (approximately $820), with an additional six months of imprisonment if the fine is not paid. The court also ordered the cancellation of the land allotment.

Siddiq, who represents London's Hampstead and Highgate constituencies, has denied the allegations, describing the trial as "flawed and farcical." She resigned from her position as the UK's economic secretary to the Treasury in January 2025 amid scrutiny over her ties to Hasina.

Hasina, currently in exile in India following her ousting in August 2024 amid mass protests, was tried in absentia. She has previously been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity related to the suppression of the 2024 uprising and received an additional 21-year sentence in a separate corruption case.

The prosecution plans to engage British authorities regarding Siddiq's sentence. Bangladesh is currently governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, with elections scheduled for February.