The verdict was delivered in absentia, as Siddiq and the other key accused were not present in court.
The court also handed down sentences to Siddiq’s aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Hasina’s sister Sheikh Rehana, who were accused of leveraging political influence to secure approximately 13,610 square feet of land through improper means. Hasina received a five year sentence, while Rehana was sentenced to seven years.
The case adds another layer to the legal troubles surrounding the former prime minister. Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India amid anti government unrest in August 2024 was last month issued a death sentence over alleged abuses against protesters, along with a combined 21 year prison term in several corruption cases.
These decisions have deepened what many analysts describe as a fast unfolding political storm.
Prosecutors in the land allocation case argue that the property was obtained through a network of political leverage and quiet collusion, asserting that all three defendants used the weight of their office for personal gain.
Tulip Siddiq, who resigned earlier this year as the UK’s Minister for Financial Services and Anti Corruption, has repeatedly dismissed the allegations as a politically motivated fabrication, insisting that the charges were designed to tarnish by association members of her extended family.
For now, legal experts say Siddiq is unlikely to face immediate extradition, as Britain has no existing extradition treaty with Bangladesh, effectively placing any transfer beyond the realm of near term possibility.
The case continues to draw global attention, not only for its political sensitivity but for what observers describe as a cross border tangle of law, legacy, and loyalty, one that is far from reaching its final chapter.
