21-Year Prison Sentence for Former PM Sheikh Hasina

Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to 21 years imprisonment by a Dhaka court. The conviction involves three corruption charges concerning the improper allocation of plots in the Purbachol New Town Project. She was awarded seven years for each of the three offenses, leading to the cumulative sentence. The trial proceeded without her presence, as she remains at large. The court’s ruling highlighted the unusual nature of the plot allocation, stating it bypassed standard procedures and exceeded legal powers. The Anti-Corruption Commission had initiated multiple cases against Hasina and relatives for alleged land misappropriation in Purbachal. Sentencing in three further cases is anticipated on December 1. Her son, Sajeeb Wazed Joy, has been sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine, while her daughter, Saima Wazed Putul, also received a five-year prison term.