Tulip Siddiq's friend jailed, and harsh sentences issued against Hasina and Rehana in a Bangladeshi corruption case.

Arab Sea Newspaper - Follow-ups:

A court in Bangladesh has issued an in absentia sentence of two years imprisonment against British MP and former Minister Tulip Siddiq in a corruption case related to the illegal allocation of a plot of land, local media reported yesterday evening. The ruling also included Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister and aunt of Tulip Siddiq, who was sentenced to five years in prison, along with her sister Sheikh Rehana, who received a seven-year prison sentence, in the same case. The sentences came as part of a series of trials targeting former officials on charges of corruption and abuse of power, with the prosecution accusing the three women of exploiting their positions to obtain a plot of land of approximately 13,610 square feet during Sheikh Hasina's term as head of government. The prosecution indicated that the process was carried out in collusion with a number of senior officials, and political influence was used to circumvent legal procedures. Reports indicated that the total number of defendants in the case reached 17, most of whom did not attend the sentencing hearing. These rulings come in the wake of significant political tension in Bangladesh, especially after Hasina fled to India in August 2024, amid violent protests against her then-government. The court had issued a death sentence against her last month on charges related to the use of excessive force to suppress protesters, followed by another sentence of 21 years in prison in separate corruption cases.