UK MP Tulip Siddiq Sentenced in Absentia by Bangladeshi Court

Tulip Siddiq, a Member of Parliament for Hampstead and Highgate, has been sentenced to two years in prison and fined 100,000 Bangladeshi Taka (approximately $821 or £620) by a Bangladeshi court. The verdict, delivered by Judge Rabiul Alam, was issued in absentia following a trial related to corruption allegations. Ms. Siddiq, who denies all charges, is unlikely to serve the sentence due to the absence of an extradition treaty between the UK and Bangladesh.

Background of the Charges

Ms. Siddiq was found guilty of using her influence with her aunt, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure a plot of land near the capital Dhaka for her family. This claim is strongly denied by Ms. Siddiq. Court documents included allegations that she