Dhaka\/New Delhi: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, already facing a death sentence handed down last week, has now been given 21 years in prison in three separate corruption cases involving the illegal acquisition of state land. The rulings, delivered on Thursday, mark another major legal setback for the 78-year-old former leader, who has been living in exile.<\/p>\n
A Dhaka court found Hasina guilty of unlawfully securing multiple plots in the Purbachal New Town project\u2014a lucrative government housing development near the capital\u2014for herself and her family, despite their ineligibility. The cases were filed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).<\/p>\n
Judge Abdullah Al Mamun, delivering the verdict, said Hasina\u2019s conduct \u201cdemonstrates a persistent corruption mindset rooted in entitlement, unchecked power, and a greedy eye for public property,\u201d accusing her of treating state land like personal assets and manipulating official procedures for family benefit.<\/p>\n
Each of the three cases carries a seven-year prison term, and the court ruled they must be served consecutively, totaling 21 years.<\/p>\n
Hasina\u2019s son Sajeeb Wazed and daughter Saima Wazed were also sentenced\u2014each receiving five years in prison in one of the cases. Further details of the ruling were not immediately released.<\/p>\n
Comes One Week after Death Sentence<\/strong><\/p>\n The new verdict follows last week\u2019s dramatic judgment that sentenced Hasina to death by hanging after a court found her guilty of crimes against humanity, including ordering a violent crackdown on last year\u2019s student uprising that eventually toppled her government.<\/p>\n Hasina fled Bangladesh by helicopter on August 5, 2024, after mass protests erupted against what demonstrators called her \u201cautocratic rule.\u201d She has since taken refuge in India, declining to return despite court orders. New Delhi is currently reviewing Dhaka\u2019s extradition request.<\/p>\n Victims\u2019 Families Demand Justice<\/strong><\/p>\n For families of those killed during the 2024 protests, the verdict brings mixed emotions.<\/p>\n \u201cI cannot be calm until she is brought back and hanged in this country,\u201d said Shaina Begum, whose 20-year-old son Sajjat Hosen Sojal was shot dead and his body burned by police during the uprising. Many families fear that Hasina may evade justice if she is not extradited.<\/p>\n The United Nations estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed in the crackdown as Hasina attempted to maintain her grip on power.<\/p>\n Prosecutor Wants Harsher Sentence<\/strong><\/p>\n Public prosecutor Khan Moinul Hasan said he will appeal, telling AFP that he was \u201cnot satisfied\u201d with the ruling and that the government seeks the maximum possible penalty.<\/p>\n Hasina did not appoint a defense lawyer in the trial, and international human rights groups have criticised the process, raising concerns about political pressure and due process.<\/p>\n More Cases Pending<\/strong><\/p>\n Additional land-grab cases against Hasina remain pending, & another verdict is expected on Dec 1.<\/p>\n Bangladesh is currently governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who assumed leadership after Hasina\u2019s ouster. New national elections are scheduled for February 2026, as the country navigates a turbulent political transition.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dhaka\/New Delhi: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, already facing a death sentence handed down last week, has now been given 21 years in prison in three separate corruption cases involving the illegal acquisition of state land. The rulings, delivered on Thursday, mark another major legal setback for the 78-year-old former leader, who has been …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":50502,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[81],"class_list":["post-50501","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-south-asia","tag-headline"],"yoast_head":"\n