Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina Sentenced in Bangladesh Corruption Scandal: A Tumultuous Legal Battle Unfolds

Bangladesh's former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, has been sentenced by a Dhaka court to several prison terms for corruption, alongside her family members. With extradition requests in progress, India's involvement underscores regional implications. The family denies charges and awaits verdicts in remaining cases against them.

In a dramatic turn of events, a Dhaka court on Monday sentenced Bangladesh's former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to five years in prison on corruption charges. Her sister, Sheikh Rehana, received a seven-year sentence, and Rehana's daughter, British MP Tulip Siddique, was sentenced to two years. The verdicts, delivered by Dhaka's Special Judge - 4 Rabiul Alam, stem from a plot fraud case in which the Anti-Corruption Commission accused Hasina and her family of illegally allocating government plots in Dhaka's Purbachal area.

Last Thursday, another court handed Hasina a 21-year prison sentence for similar charges in separate cases. Dhaka Special Judge - 5 Mohammd Abdullah Al Mamun distributed three sentences, each for seven years, across three different fraud cases. Legal proceedings continue, with further verdicts expected on December 1 against other family members, including Hasina's son Sajeeb Wazed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, both sentenced to five-year terms.

Compounding Hasina's legal troubles, the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh has sentenced her to death for alleged crimes against humanity amid the 2024 anti-government protests. As extradition requests reach India, the Minister of External Affairs confirmed that New Delhi examines the appeal from Bangladesh's interim government for cooperation concerning this highly sensitive political and judicial matter.

(With inputs from agencies.)