Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal, which found her guilty of ordering a brutal crackdown on last year’s student-led uprising. The highly charged verdict, delivered in absentia under tight security in Dhaka, marks one of the most dramatic legal actions against a Bangladeshi leader in decades.
—violenceHasina, 78, was removed from power during mass protests in August 2024 and fled to India, where she has remained since. The tribunal accused her of authorizing lethal force against protesters between July and August 2024 — violence that a UN report says left up to 1,400 people dead and thousands injured, mostly from gunfire by security forces.
The court handed her a death sentence for killings during the unrest and a life sentence for crimes against humanity. Despite the option to appeal, her son and adviser Sajeeb Wazed said they would only seek judicial review once a democratically elected government—with the Awami League’s participation—is in place.
During the lengthy trial, prosecutors argued they uncovered evidence proving Hasina personally directed the crackdown. Her state-appointed lawyer rejected the allegations as unfounded and urged the court to acquit her.
“charade,”Hasina herself dismissed the entire case as a politically driven “charade”, accusing the interim government—led by Nobel Peace laureate Muhammad Yunus—of orchestrating a biased and predetermined judgment. She claimed she did not receive fair notice of hearings or an opportunity to defend herself.
Tensions have been rising ahead of the ruling, with over 30 crude bomb blasts and several vehicles torched in recent days, though no casualties were reported. Security forces tightened control across Dhaka on Monday as authorities braced for potential unrest.
With parliamentary elections scheduled for February, the verdict is expected to intensify political divisions, especially as Hasina’s supporters threaten an election boycott and the Awami League remains banned from contesting.
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