In 2025, Bangladesh’s political environment changed drastically after the conviction of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina with a 21-year sentence for a land-fraud case and a death sentence for another crime (crime against humanity), along with renewed efforts by the government to seek her return from abroad. Evidence of her conviction will emerge when Dhaka has these developments converge, and all areas of the law (criminal, civil, diplomatic) are affected.
Land Fraud Verdict: 21 Years for Purbachal Plot Scam
On 27th November 2025, the Dhaka courts convicted Sheikh Hasina in three cases concerning alleged abuse of power in the Purbachal New Town Project (PNTP) and issued a complete jail sentence of 21 years, 7 years per case consecutively for each of the three cases (totalling 21 years), while Hasina’s children, Sajeeb Wazed Joy and Saima Wazed Putul, were sentenced for 5 years each in one case related to her fraudulent activities within the PNTP.
Hasina received the land through illegal means without the required application process. The court ruled this to be in violation of Bangladesh’s laws and sentenced her to prison with fines of Tk 3 lakhs for each offence. She and her co-defendants were sentenced to prison time; however, the length of time varied depending on their level of involvement.
Death Sentence & Crimes-Against-Humanity Verdict: A Severe Blow
On 17 November 2025, Hasina was convicted of crimes against humanity, receiving the death penalty in absentia for ordering police actions that led to the deaths of over 1,400 during the student protests preceding the uprising of 2024. Along with her conviction, other senior officials, including the former Home Minister, were also convicted of the death penalty. Human Rights Watch and others expressed deep misgivings about the validity of the process by which Hasina’s conviction was achieved, including the inadequacy of the legal representation she was afforded during the trial.
The verdict also implicated other senior officials; for example, the former home minister (co-accused) was also handed a death sentence.
However, human-rights groups — including Human Rights Watch (HRW) — have raised serious concerns about the fairness of the trial, pointing to a lack of adequate legal representation, limited opportunity for defence, and procedural shortcomings.
Extradition Demand & Diplomatic Fallout
Following these verdicts, the Interim Government of Bangladesh officially submitted a request to the Government of neighbouring India to extradite Sheikh Hasina to Bangladesh.
This renewed call for extradition, along with the land fraud conviction and death penalty, converts the issue from a domestic legal matter to an International Diplomatic Issue of great complexity. The response of India, along with worldwide responses, will not only determine the fate of Hasina but may also have implications for relationships between Bangladesh and India, and the future stability of our region.
What these events indicate for the future of Bangladesh’s Political Landscape
These developments indicate a total reestablishment of Legal and Political processes. The Death Penalty, in relation to a conviction for Crimes Against Humanity, along with a long-term prison sentence relating to a conviction for corruption, provides the courts with the tools they need to dismantle the Political Power of Hasina and diminish her ability to hold onto her Political Party.
Many of Hasina’s closest aides and family members are now convicted, and they will leave a leadership void. This, along with the pending extradition demand for Hasina, creates further uncertainty as questions arise about cross-border legal standards, Human Rights obligations, and standards of Diplomacy.
At the same time, the fact that both the International Community and the Human Rights Community may apply pressure to ensure Fairness and International Scrutiny of the Judicial Processes in Bangladesh may encourage scrutiny of the judicial process.
Read Also: MEA Says It’s Examining Bangladesh’s Extradition Request for Sheikh Hasina: Where Diplomacy Meets Law
