124. Bangladesh has become a playground of stupidity
In a recent development a Bangladesh court has sentenced the British MP Tulip Siddiq to two years in prison in absentia.
The judge has ruled out she was complicit in corrupt land deals with her aunt, the country’s deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
The judge found Siddiq guilty of misusing her special influence as a British politician to coerce Hasina into giving valuable pieces of land to her mother, brother and sister.
Siddiq, a former cabinet minister, is the new victim associated with the politically motivated attack on Hasina.
Although the ruling has no meaning as the UK does not have an extradition treaty with Bangladesh but it shows how Bangladesh has become a playground for the hardcore Islamic organisaions.
Siddiq claims that she had been put on trial as a Bangladeshi citizen, with a passport and tax ID, even though she had not held a Bangladeshi passport since childhood and had never paid taxes there.
Her aunt Sheikh Hasina is convicted for authoritarianism, corruption and human rights abuses.
Last month, she was found guilty of crimes against humanity by a special tribunal in Dhaka, for her role in the massacre of more than 1,000 people who took part in anti-government protests that eventually led to her downfall.
Now the whole world knows Hasina had nothing to do with the mob coming out on the streets.
It was not an anti-government protest rather it was a pre-planned coup. And the death of 1000 people on the road was a well-planned move.
She has remained in exile in India since her fall from power in August 2024.
India has yet to respond to extradition requests by Bangladesh for her to return to serve her sentence.
Siddiq’s mother, Sheikh Rehana, was also given seven years in prison and considered the prime participant in the case.
When the verdict was read out neither Hasina, Siddiq, Rehana nor more than a dozen other members of her family accused in the case were in the court.
No doubt whole process has been flawed and farcical from the beginning to the end.
“The outcome of this kangaroo court is as predictable as it is unjustified. I hope this so-called ‘verdict’ will be treated with the contempt it deserves. My focus has always been my constituents in Hampstead and Highgate and I refuse to be distracted by the dirty politics of Bangladesh.”
Last week, she was given a further 21-year prison sentence on corruption charges.
In the court it was argued that during Hasina’s tenure, Siddiq was pictured several times with Hasina in Bangladesh.
What was the big deal in this?
When I think of the troubles in Pakistan and Bangladesh, the only picture emerges in my mind is of Mr MK Gandhi.
The man who failed the millions of people and still considered a Mahatma.
A man who travelled in third class compartment with his entourage enjoying the facilities of first-class compartment.
A man who destroyed the revolutionary spirits in the country.
A man who virtually handed over the power to rule a nation to someone who didn’t deserve it.
He was complicit in all the problems the three nations are facing including India.
He could have stopped the 1947 tragedy but being hell bent on projecting his image first – to become a part of the history on the cost of destroyed dreams and aspirations of millions of people.