How British media covered Tulip Siddiq's 2-year prison sentence in Bangladesh

The conviction of UK Labour MP Tulip Rizwana Siddiq—niece of ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina—has drawn extensive attention from major British news outlets after a Dhaka court sentenced her to two years in prison in a corruption case.

From The Guardian to the BBC, UK media highlighted the trial held in absentia, Tulip Siddiq's denial of the charges, and the "political context" surrounding the verdict, and the absence of an extradition treaty makes it unlikely she will serve the sentence.

A Dhaka court today (1 December) sentenced Tulip Siddiq to two years' prison in a case over irregularities in Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) plot allocation. Tulip has also been fined Tk1 lakh, and in default of payment, an additional 6 months' imprisonment will be added to the sentence.

Since the mass uprising of 2024, Tulip has been a regular subject of discussion in both Bangladeshi and UK media. Allegations of mediation, misinformation, and unethical financial gains in the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant project—and her subsequent resignation from the British government's post of City Minister—made headlines in both countries. This time, the news of his conviction in a corruption case has also been widely reported in the British media.

The UK's leading daily, The Guardian, ran the headline: "Bangladesh court sentences UK MP Tulip Siddiq to two years' prison in absentia."

The Guardian reported that the trial had been carried out in absentia, and on Monday, neither Hasina, Tulip Siddiq, Rehana, nor more than a dozen other members of her family accused in the case were in the court as the verdict was read out.

The UK does not have an extradition treaty with Bangladesh, and it is unlikely Tulip Siddiq will serve the sentence.

Tulip Siddiq had denied the charges, claiming that much of the evidence being presented by prosecutors was forged, reports the British media, adding that she had been put on trial as a Bangladeshi citizen, with a passport and tax ID, even though she said she had not held a Bangladeshi passport since childhood and had never paid taxes there. Another leading UK media outlet, The Telegraph, made the headline, "Tulip Siddiq sentenced to two years in jail in Bangladesh."

Although she has been sentenced to prison for corruption, the likelihood of Tulip actually serving this sentence is extremely low, according to The Telegraph report. The report also mentioned that Tulip has denied all charges brought against her, and she has described the trial process as a "farce."

Tulip remarked that it was "constructed on fabricated allegations and clearly driven by political vendetta."

Quoting the state prosecutor, Salahuddin, The Telegraph further reported that Salahuddin told the court, "To seize the property, Tulip influenced her aunt, Sheikh Hasina.

And Sheikh Hasina, through her direct influence and abuse of special powers, betrayed the public trust." The lawyer further said, "A review of the documents collected during the investigation also shows that accused Sheikh Hasina exerted undue influence in allocating a plot in favor of accused Sheikh Rehana in the Purbachal New Town Project, in violation of regulations."

"Tulip Siddiq MP given jail sentence in Bangladesh after trial in her absence," the BBC made this headline.

The BBC reported that at the start of the trial, the MP had said the prosecution had "spread false and harassing allegations, which were shared with the media but never formally presented to me by the investigators."

Citing a statement issued on Tulip's behalf, the BBC reported, "I have been clear from the outset that I have done nothing wrong and will respond to any credible evidence that is presented to me.

Continuing to smear my name to score political points is both baseless and damaging." She has made no public comments since the verdict was announced.

The Financial Times, in its report titled "Ex-UK minister Tulip Siddiq gets two-year prison sentence in Bangladesh," wrote that last week the MP for Hampstead and Highgate (Tulip) thanked a group of "distinguished lawyers," including Cherie Blair, for "highlighting the fundamental flaws in Bangladesh's criminal justice system."