Dhaka: In a dramatic legal development, British Member of Parliament Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment by a Bangladeshi court in a high-profile corruption case related to illegal land allocation. The verdict, delivered in absentia, has sparked international attention due to Siddiq’s dual ties to the UK and Bangladesh.
The sentence was handed down by the Fourth Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka, which also convicted former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Siddiq’s aunt, to five years in prison. Sheikh Rehana, Hasina’s sister, received a seven-year term. In addition to prison sentences, the three were fined 100,000 Bangladeshi taka (approximately US $820), with a provision of an additional six months in jail if the fines remain unpaid. Prosecutors stated that the land, covering 13,610 square feet, was allocated illegally through political influence during Hasina’s administration.
The case is part of a broader investigation by Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission into irregular land allocations linked to the former government. Siddiq has consistently denied wrongdoing, describing the trial as politically motivated and unfair. Legal observers in the UK have criticized the proceedings, highlighting the lack of proper representation and questioning the fairness of trials conducted in absentia.
Siddiq continues to serve as a sitting MP in the United Kingdom. With no extradition treaty between the UK and Bangladesh, enforcement of the sentence is uncertain. However, the conviction raises diplomatic and ethical questions, especially regarding the accountability of public officials with foreign political connections. British lawyers have expressed concern over the trial’s integrity, labeling it “contrived and deeply flawed.”
The verdict has intensified scrutiny on Bangladesh’s judicial processes and may complicate UK-Bangladesh relations. While Siddiq’s parliamentary position remains unaffected for now, the case casts a shadow over her political career and underscores the complex intersection of international politics, governance, and legal accountability. The trial and sentencing of high-profile figures associated with the former government continue to spark debate both in Bangladesh and abroad.