KARACHI: Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was on Monday sentenced to death in absentia by a special tribunal in Dhaka after being convicted of crimes against humanity linked to last year’s deadly crackdown on student-led protests that eventually forced her from power.
The verdict, delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), also included life sentences for Hasina in three additional cases. Former interior minister Asaduzzaman was likewise handed a death sentence, while former police chief Chaudhry Abdullah Mamoon’s death sentence was reduced to five years due to cooperation with investigators.
Hasina, 78, has been living in self-exile in India since August 2024 after her government was removed during mass demonstrations that left hundreds dead and thousands injured. Dhaka has since sought her extradition, but India has not acted on the request. Only one accused, former police chief Mamoon, was present in court during Monday’s sentencing.
According to the tribunal, Hasina was found guilty on three major counts: ordering the use of lethal force, inciting violence through public speeches, and failing to prevent atrocities committed during the protests. Judges said she had authorised the use of helicopters and drones during operations in which security forces fired on demonstrators.
Bangladesh’s Attorney General said the sentence would be “effective from the day of arrest,” while Hasina’s state-appointed lawyer expressed regret that he was unable to file an appeal due to her absence.
Hasina rejects charges, says trial meant to ‘nullify Awami League’: Minutes after the verdict, Sheikh Hasina issued a strongly worded five-page statement from hiding in India, denouncing the ruling as “biased and politically motivated.”
She said the trial was conducted by an “unelected government with no democratic mandate,” claiming that the tribunal had been “rigged from the start” with the sole intention of eliminating her party, the Awami League, from Bangladesh’s political landscape.
Hasina maintained that she was denied due process and had repeatedly insisted she would face a “proper and independent tribunal” if allowed to return safely. She accused the interim administration-led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus-of using the trial to distract from what she described as “failures in governance, law enforcement, and public security.”
She also accused the interim government of permitting attacks on religious minorities and empowering hardline groups, warning that Bangladesh’s secular foundations were under threat.
The Awami League has called for nationwide protests in response to the ruling.
Security tight in Dhaka amid fears of unrest: The verdict was delivered under heavy security in Dhaka, with police, army, and paramilitary forces deployed across the capital. Authorities issued strict orders to prevent violence, and explosive attacks in recent days prompted a “shoot-on-sight” directive against anyone found launching crude bombs.
Human rights groups and international observers say the trial marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, reflecting both the scale of last year’s unrest and deep political fractures within the country.
The United Nations previously documented widespread casualties during the 2024 protests, though Hasina has denied ordering any unlawful action.
Analysts say the ruling places new pressure on Dhaka’s relations with New Delhi, with India facing diplomatic scrutiny over Hasina’s continued presence on its soil.
The tribunal’s decision concludes a months-long legal process initiated by the interim government, which had promised accountability for violence under the former administration. Prosecutors argued that the verdict fulfills the “public’s demand for justice” for the victims of the deadly crackdown.
With the sentencing now formalized, attention turns to Bangladesh’s political trajectory, public response, and how regional powers will navigate the consequences of one of South Asia’s most dramatic legal and political developments in recent years.
