Sheikh Hasina, former Bangladesh PM sent to 21 years in prison on corruption charges

A Dhaka court on Thursday (November 27) has sentenced Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, to 21 years in prison on charges of corruption. The verdict was delivered by Dhaka's Special Judge - 5, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, who sentenced Hasina to 7 years in prison for each of three separate land fraud cases. The charges stem from allegations that Hasina and her family illegally allocated government plots in the Purbachal area of Dhaka. The court will announce its verdict in the remaining three cases on December 1.

In addition to Sheikh Hasina's sentence, her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has been given a five-year prison sentence along with a fine of Tk 100,000. Her daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, was also sentenced to five years in prison. These legal proceedings are part of a broader investigation, initiated by Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in January, into alleged illegal land deals involving Sheikh Hasina and her family. However, Hasina and her family have denied all allegations of corruption in multiple public statements.

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In a related development, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh has already sentenced Sheikh Hasina to death for her role in suppressing the anti-government protests that took place in July 2024. The tribunal found her guilty of crimes against humanity in connection with the unrest. Sheikh Hasina and her family have not been represented by legal counsel in these cases, as they have reportedly fled the country. The exiled family members are currently absent from Bangladesh.

Meanwhile, the Indian government is reviewing a formal request from Bangladesh's interim government for the extradition of Sheikh Hasina. On Wednesday, India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, confirmed that New Delhi had received the extradition request and is in the process of evaluating it. Jaiswal emphasized that India remains committed to supporting Bangladesh's stability and ensuring the well-being of its people, and that the government will continue to engage constructively with all stakeholders in Bangladesh as part of ongoing legal and judicial processes.

Following the July 2024 student-led protests against her government, Sheikh Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 5 and sought refuge in India. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus was then formed to manage the country’s affairs.