Bangladesh court sentences Sheikh Hasina to 5 years in prison for corruption
Dhaka, December 1 — A Dhaka court has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison on corruption charges linked to irregularities in the allocation of government plots under the Purbachal New Town project.
The verdict was delivered by Special Judge-4 Rabiul Alam, who also sentenced Hasina’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana to seven years and her niece Tulip Siddiq, a British MP, to two years in prison. Fourteen other accused were handed five-year terms in the same case.
Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission had filed six separate cases earlier this year against Hasina and her family members, alleging illegal allocation of plots in Dhaka. The court imposed fines of BDT 1 lakh on each of the 17 defendants, with an additional six months’ imprisonment in case of non-payment.
The verdict was announced in the absence of the accused, amid heightened security outside the court premises. Authorities said the ruling reflects the judiciary’s determination to address corruption at the highest levels.
