Bangladesh Court Jails Ousted PM Sheikh Hasina for 21 Years in Triple Corruption Case Verdict
Hasina Sentenced to 21 Years in Corruption Cases Linked to Purbachal Housing Project
Dhaka, Nov 27: A Dhaka court on Thursday sentenced ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to 21 years in prison, along with five year jail terms for her two children, in three corruption cases related to alleged irregularities in the Purbachal government housing project.
The verdict was delivered by Dhaka Special Judge Court-5, which conducted the trial in absentia for Hasina, her son Sajib Wajed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul. The 78 year old former prime minister received seven years in each of the three cases, totalling 21 years.
While announcing the judgment, Judge Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun noted that the plot allocation to Hasina was made “without any application and in a manner that exceeded the legally authorised jurisdiction.”
A total of 20 others, including former junior housing minister Sharif Ahmed and officials of the Housing Ministry and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK), were also convicted with varying prison terms. One junior ministry official was acquitted. Only one accused appeared in person and was sentenced to three years.
The Anti-Corruption Commission of Bangladesh had filed six cases between January 12 and 14, later submitting charge sheets on March 10. Verdicts in three of these cases were announced on Tuesday.
Security was intensified around the Dhaka court complex as the judgment came just 10 days after the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) sentenced Hasina to death for alleged “crimes against humanity”—a separate case tied to political unrest.
Hasina has been living in India, while former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, also sentenced to death in the ICT-BD verdict, is believed to be in hiding in India.
Hasina’s government collapsed on August 5 last year following a student-led uprising known as the “July Uprising.” Three days later, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus returned from Paris at the request of protest leaders to take charge of the interim government as chief adviser.
