Bangladesh: Corruption trial begins against Sheikh Hasina, her nieces

The corruption trial of ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 17 others, including her nieces Azmina Siddiq and British MP Tulip Siddiq, began on Wednesday in a Dhaka court over alleged irregularities in the allocation of housing plots.

Afnan Jannat Keya, assistant director of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and the complainant in the case, testified before Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge’s Court-4, The Daily Star reported. Earlier in the day, ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin, complainant in another graft case, gave his statement before the same court against 17 accused, including Hasina, her sister Sheikh Rehana, and Tulip.

London-based Tulip Siddiq, who represents Hampstead and Highgate for the UK Labour Party, resigned as Treasury minister earlier this year after corruption allegations emerged from the ACC’s probe. Siddiq, 42, has consistently denied wrongdoing and accused the Muhammad Yunus-led interim government in Dhaka of running an orchestrated "smear campaign" to damage her reputation.

On August 11, witness statements began in three other corruption cases related to plot allocations, naming Hasina, her son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, and daughter Saima Wazed Putul, Bangla-language daily Prothom Alo reported.

The ACC filed six cases between January 12 and 14 against Hasina, her family members, and 23 others over alleged irregularities in the Purbachal New Town project. Tulip is accused of using her influence to secure plots for Rehana, Bobby, and Azmina.

On March 25, the ACC submitted charge sheets in all six cases to the Metropolitan Senior Special Judge’s Court in Dhaka, naming Hasina as a common accused in each. The commission has listed all defendants as fugitives.

On July 31, charges were formally framed against 29 people, including Hasina, Rehana, Joy, Putul, Bobby, Tulip, and Azmina, in their respective cases.

Hasina, 77, faces multiple graft charges after being ousted from power on August 5 last year following a mass student-led agitation that forced her to flee Dhaka.