Sheikh Hasina Handed 5-Year Sentence, Tulip Siddiq Gets 2

A Dhaka court has sentenced ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 5 years imprisonment in two separate corruption cases involving illegal allocation of government plots in the Purbachal New Town project. In the same verdicts announced on Monday (2 February) by Dhaka Special Judge Court-4 Judge Md. Robiul Alam, UK Parliament member Tulip Rizwana Siddiq received 2 years imprisonment, while Sheikh Rehana’s son Radwan Mujib Siddiq and daughter Azmina Siddiq Rupanti were each sentenced to 7 years. Other accused in the cases received varying terms of imprisonment and fines depending on the extent of their involvement.

The two cases, each involving 18 accused (total 36), centre on abuse of power to allocate 20 katha of government land in Purbachal. Arguments concluded on 18 January for the Sheikh Hasina-Tulip-Radwan case and on 13 January for the Sheikh Hasina-Tulip-Azmina case, with both verdicts set for 2 February by the same court.

In the first case, filed on 13 January last year by ACC Assistant Director S.M. Rashedul Hasan against Radwan Mujib Siddiq for illegally obtaining a 10-katha plot, Sheikh Hasina, Tulip, and 14 others were initially named. The charge sheet submitted on 10 March added two more, making 18 accused. Twenty-eight witnesses testified.

In the second case, filed the same day by ACC Assistant Director Afnan Jannat Keya against Azmina Siddiq for a similar 10-katha plot allocation, Sheikh Hasina, Tulip, and 14 others were named. The charge sheet on 10 March brought the total to 18 accused, with 31 witnesses testifying.

Common accused across both cases include former Housing and Public Works Ministry officials Saiful Islam Sarkar, Purabi Goldar, Oliullah, Kazi Wasi Uddin, former RAJUK officials, former Prime Minister’s Private Secretary-1 Mohammad Salah Uddin, and former State Minister Sharif Ahmed, among others. Charges were framed in both cases on 31 July last year.