Web Desk: A Bangladeshi court on Thursday handed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina a 21-year prison term on corruption charges, adding to a series of legal setbacks that have intensified since her removal from power last year. The verdict follows a ruling a week earlier, delivered in her absence, that sentenced her to death for crimes against humanity linked to a violent crackdown on student protests.
Hasina, 78, has remained in India since fleeing Bangladesh and has ignored court directives to return for the proceedings.
New Rulings Follow Earlier Death Sentence
The November 17 judgment ordered her execution after the court found she authorized a forceful response to a student-led movement that ultimately forced her from office. Authorities say she departed the country by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after weeks of unrest aimed at ending what protesters described as authoritarian rule.
However, the latest convictions relate to three separate complaints filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission accusing her of unlawfully securing prime real estate on the outskirts of Dhaka.
Judge Abdullah Al Mamun wrote that Hasina’s actions reflected “a persistent corruption mindset rooted in entitlement, unchecked power and a desire for public property,” adding that she treated state-owned land “as a private asset” for herself and her relatives.
Sentences Extend to Family Members
Alongside Hasina, the court also sentenced her son, Sajeeb Wazed, who resides in the United States, and her daughter, Saima Wazed, a senior UN official, to five years each in connection with the same cases.
Moreover, prosecutors noted that Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana and several family members including British MP Tulip Siddiq still face additional corruption proceedings.
Prosecution Signals Appeal
Public prosecutor Khan Moinul Hasan said he intends to challenge Thursday’s ruling, arguing it fell short of what the state had sought.
“We are not satisfied with the verdict, as we had asked for the maximum punishment,” he told AFP. “We will consult the Anti-Corruption Commission and decide our next steps.”
Political Landscape Remains Unsettled
Bangladesh has struggled with political volatility since Hasina’s fall, and violence continues to overshadow campaigning ahead of elections scheduled for February 2026. The United Nations estimates that as many as 1,400 people were killed in security operations during the final phase of her rule.
Hasina has rejected the judgments against her, calling the convictions and the death sentence “biased and politically motivated.”
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