After death sentence, Bangladesh ex-PM Hasina gets 21 years for land grab

Public authoritative vows to entreaty the verdict saying the authorities wants the maximum penalty.

Ousted Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to 21 years successful situation successful abstracted corruption cases related to allocations of onshore successful a authorities project, dealing different ineligible stroke to the country’s erstwhile exiled leader.

In a determination issued connected Thursday, a tribunal recovered Hasina blameworthy of illegally securing plots of onshore successful a suburb of superior Dhaka for herself and her household contempt their ineligibility.

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Last week, Hasina was sentenced to decease by hanging, aft she was recovered blameworthy for crimes against humanity for ordering a deadly crackdown against a student-led uprising past twelvemonth that yet ousted her.

Hasina fled Bangladesh by chopper connected August 5, 2024, aft weeks of student-led protests against her autocratic rule.

The 78-year-old erstwhile person is presently residing successful India and has defied tribunal orders that she instrumentality to Bangladesh. New Delhi is said to beryllium studying Dhaka’s extradition request.

Shaina Begum, the parent of a 20-year aged pupil Sajjat Hosen Sojal, who was changeable and his assemblage burned by the police hours earlier the student-led uprising forced Hasina to resign and fly the country, told Al Jazeera aft the verdict, “I cannot beryllium calm until she [Hasina] is brought backmost and hanged successful this country,”

Hundreds of families who mislaid loved ones successful the protests wonderment if the deposed premier curate volition really look justice.

The 3 corruption cases were brought against her by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) implicit onshore grabs of lucrative plots successful the Purbachal New Town task .

Hasina’s behaviour “demonstrates a persistent corruption mindset rooted successful entitlement, unchecked power, and a greedy oculus for nationalist property”, ruled justice Abdullah Al Mamun.

“Treating nationalist onshore arsenic a backstage asset, she directed her greedy oculus toward authorities resources and manipulated authoritative procedures to payment herself and her adjacent relatives.”

Each condemnation was 7 years successful prison, and Mamun ruled that Hasina would request to service them consecutively.

Her son Sajeeb Wazed and girl Saima Wazed were each sentenced to 5 years successful situation successful 1 of the 3 cases.

Other details of the verdict were not disposable immediately.

Public authoritative Khan Moinul Hasan said helium would appeal, telling AFP quality bureau that helium was “not satisfied” with the verdict and wanted the maximum sentence.

Hasina and her erstwhile ruling Awami League enactment person denounced the trials against her.

She did not name a defence lawyer, and immoderate planetary quality rights groups person questioned the credibility and fairness of the proceedings process against Hasina.

Other cases besides involving alleged onshore grabbing are inactive pending, and a abstracted verdict is expected December 1.

Bangladesh has been going done a hard governmental modulation nether an interim authorities headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus, and new elections are planned successful February 2026.

The United Nations says up to 1,400 radical were killed successful crackdowns arsenic Hasina tried to cling to power.