A court in Bangladesh has handed down a two-year prison sentence to Tulip Siddiq, a serving British Member of Parliament, following a trial conducted in her absence. The ruling found her guilty of exploiting her political influence to secure land allocations for family members.
The case centers on allegations that Siddiq, the Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate, used her position to pressure officials in the administration of her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The court stated this led to valuable plots of land in Dhaka being granted to Siddiq’s mother, brother, and sister. Siddiq’s mother received a seven-year sentence, identified as the primary figure in the case.
Siddiq, who was tried as a Bangladeshi citizen, has forcefully rejected the verdict and the charges. She maintains the proceedings were illegitimate, stating she has not held a Bangladeshi passport since childhood and has never been a taxpayer there. She described the trial as “flawed and farcical” and a product of a “kangaroo court,” asserting that key evidence was fabricated.
The trial is part of a broader judicial effort targeting the former prime minister’s circle. Sheikh Hasina, deposed in a 2024 uprising, was recently convicted on separate charges of crimes against humanity and corruption and is currently in exile. An interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, was installed with a mandate to address alleged abuses during her lengthy tenure.
Legal observers have raised significant concerns about the fairness of the process. A group of prominent British lawyers previously warned Bangladesh’s ambassador that Siddiq’s trial was “artificial, contrived and unfair.” Reports indicate the accused were denied access to defense counsel, with one lawyer allegedly threatened for attempting to represent them.
Given the absence of an extradition treaty between the UK and Bangladesh, it is highly unlikely Siddiq will serve the sentence. The Labour Party has stated it does not recognize the judgment, citing the denial of a fair legal process and the inability of Siddiq’s legal team to receive detailed charges from Bangladeshi authorities despite repeated requests.
Siddiq has characterized the case as a politically motivated attack linked to her familial connection to the ousted leader, vowing to remain focused on her parliamentary duties in London.