A court in Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison in a land scam case. The court also sentenced her sister, Sheikh Rehana, to seven years and her niece, British MP Tulip Siddiq, to two years in jail. This information was reported by Bangladeshi newspaper The Daily Star. The verdict was delivered by Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge’s Court-4 in Dhaka.

Fourth verdict against Hasina

This is the fourth verdict against Sheikh Hasina in corruption cases filed by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). The ACC filed six cases in January, accusing Hasina of irregularities in how land plots were given out under the Purbachal New Town project.

According to the ACC, Hasina, along with senior officials of Rajuk (the housing authority), unfairly obtained six large plots of land in an exclusive diplomatic zone. These plots were reportedly given to her and her family members, including her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, even though they were not eligible under the rules. The Dhaka Tribune also reported that each plot measured 10 kathas, or 7,200 square feet.

On July 31, authorities framed charges against 29 people, including Hasina and her relatives. Later, on November 27, the court gave Hasina a 21-year sentence in three other related cases, seven years for each case. Her son Joy and daughter Putul were each given five-year jail terms.

Another corruption verdict

In a separate ruling, a Bangladesh court once again sentenced Hasina to 21 years in prison for irregularities in the Rajuk New Town Project. The judge announced the verdict without Hasina present, because she had already fled the country and was being tried in absentia. The court noted that land was allotted to her “without any application” and beyond what the law allowed.

Death sentence 

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has also sentenced Hasina to death, accusing her of crimes against humanity linked to anti-government protests in July 2024. During these trials, Hasina and her family had no lawyers, as they were hiding. However, they have constantly denied all corruption accusations.

Hasina fled Bangladesh in 2024

In July 2024, massive student protests broke out against Hasina’s government. On August 5, she fled Bangladesh and took shelter in India. After she left, an interim government was formed under Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. The investigations and trials against Hasina are still ongoing, and more updates may follow.