A Dhaka special court on Monday sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to 10 years’ imprisonment and her niece, British MP Tulip Siddiq, to four years in two corruption cases linked to irregularities in the Purbachal New Town plot allocation project.
Judge Md Rabiul Alam of Special Judge’s Court-4 of Dhaka also handed down seven-year prison terms to Hasina’s other niece Azmina Siddiq and nephew Radwan Mujib Siddiq Bobby, each in one case. Apart from them, 18 other accused were sentenced to prison terms ranging from two to 10 years.
The court also imposed fines, including Tk 2 lakh each on Hasina and Tulip, and Tk 1 lakh each on Azmina and Bobby. Failure to pay the fines will result in additional jail terms.
According to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Hasina, in collusion with senior Rajuk officials, unlawfully secured six 10-katha plots in the diplomatic zone of Sector 27 of the Purbachal New Town project in Dhaka for herself and family members, despite their ineligibility. The ACC said Hasina abused her authority as prime minister to influence officials, while Tulip played a role in securing plots for other relatives.
Between November 27 and December 1 last year, Hasina had already been sentenced to 26 years’ rigorous imprisonment in four other graft cases, in which several family members were also convicted.
