Labour MP Tulip Siddiq Sentenced to Two Years in Bangladesh Over Corruption Charges in Absentia

Bangladesh’s Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) tribunal on Monday sentenced Labour MP Tulip Siddiq, niece of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to two years in prison and a 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka (£620; $821) fine for allegedly influencing Hasina to secure a prime plot of land in Dhaka for her family, in a trial held in her absence.

The 43-year-old MP for Hampstead and Highgate, who resigned as Treasury Minister in January 2025 amid scrutiny over her family ties, was convicted alongside 16 others on charges of abuse of power and corruption. Siddiq, living in London and denying the allegations, faces six additional months if the fine is unpaid. She is unlikely to serve the sentence, as the UK has no extradition treaty with Bangladesh and requires substantial evidence for any request.

The case, ongoing since August, stems from claims Siddiq “forced and influenced” Hasina to allocate the land to her mother Rehana, sister Azmina, and brother Radwan. Prosecutors cited her Bangladeshi passport, ID, and tax number to establish citizenship, though her lawyers dispute this, stating she has “never had” an ID card, voter ID, or passport since childhood.

Siddiq’s team called the proceedings a “kangaroo court,” noting she was never formally notified of charges despite repeated requests. In a statement, she said: “I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence presented. Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging.”

Labour affirmed her membership and whip, with a spokesperson stating: “Highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process… Anyone facing any charge should always be afforded the right to make legal representations.”

The verdict follows a letter from senior UK lawyers—including ex-Justice Secretary Robert Buckland, former Attorney General Dominic Grieve, and Lady Cherie Blair—to Bangladesh’s UK envoy, decrying the trial’s lack of fairness and proper representation.

Siddiq faces multiple outstanding charges, including embezzlement probes linked to a £3.9bn 2013 Russian nuclear deal and property transfers to her sister. The Awami League dismissed the judgment as “predictable” and “politically motivated,” while Hasina—sentenced to death in November for 2024 protest crackdowns—accused the Yunus-led interim government of judicial control.

Hasina’s 15-year rule allegedly siphoned $234bn through corruption, per Bangladeshi authorities, straining India-Bangladesh ties since her exile in New Delhi. UK PM Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus cleared Siddiq of improprieties but noted “regrettable” risks from her Hasina connections.

You May Like To Read: Bangladesh Commission Finds Sheikh Hasina Orchestrated 2009 Mutiny Massacre, and Accuses India of Involvement

The case tests UK-Bangladesh relations amid Dhaka’s post-uprising accountability push.