Special Judge Court-4, presided over by Mohammad Rabiul Alam, sentenced Hasina to five years in the latest case, while her sister Sheikh Rehana received seven years and her niece, former UK MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq, was given two years. All three are currently absconding from Bangladesh.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) had filed six cases in January 2025, four of which have now resulted in convictions. Hasina was previously handed 21 years in three related cases on November 27. Sentencing in two remaining cases is pending.
According to court documents, Tulip Siddiq allegedly leveraged her position as a British Labour MP to secure illegal plot allocations for her family members. The current case focused on a 7,000 sq ft plot allotted to Sheikh Rehana. Fourteen other accused, including former government officials and ex-minister Sharif Ahmed, were awarded five-year sentences. Only one of them, Khurshid Alam, is in custody.
The ACC chargesheet, filed in March 2025, was followed by witness testimonies from 29 individuals. Prosecutors argued that the plot allotments violated procedure and were facilitated through political influence. Rehana and Tulip were also fined one lakh taka each.
Hasina has been living in India since resigning on 5 August 2024 following a military-backed upheaval. In a separate case, she was sentenced to death on November 17 by the International Crimes Tribunal for allegedly ordering killings during the July 2024 student unresta verdict that has intensified diplomatic friction, with Bangladesh’s interim government repeatedly seeking her extradition.
The fresh convictions further deepen the political uncertainty in Dhaka, where widespread corruption investigations against the former ruling family remain underway.
