Bangladesh Court Jails Sheikh Hasina for 21 Years in Corruption Cases
Bangladesh Court Jails Sheikh Hasina for 21 Years in Corruption Cases
Dhaka court hands ex-PM Sheikh Hasina a 21-year jail term in three corruption cases tied to a housing project, with fines for her and family members.
A Dhaka court on Thursday, November 27, 2025, handed down a 21-year jail sentence to former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in three corruption cases connected to irregular land allocations in a government housing project near Dhaka, known as the Rajuk New Town Project in Purbachal. The sentences total seven years in each case and are to run consecutively. Hasina was also fined Taka one lakh in each case, or 18 months more in prison if the amount is not paid.
In the same verdict, Hasina's son Sajib Wajed Joy and daughter Saima Wazed Putul were sentenced to five years in prison each, with fines of Taka one lakh per case, or an extra month in prison for default. The judge said the plot was allotted to Hasina without any application and in a manner that exceeded the legally authorised jurisdiction.
The judgement was delivered as security around the Old Dhaka court was tightened. Hasina, 78, has been living in India since August last year after nationwide protests toppled her government. Twenty others connected with the housing project case were charged in separate counts.
Analysts say the ruling could deepen political divisions in the country, while supporters of Hasina have dismissed the charges as politically motivated. The verdict comes amid a broader legal saga surrounding the Hasina family and questions of governance and accountability in Bangladesh.
Cover image source: India examining Dhaka’s extradition request for Sheikh Hasina: MEA 🔗
