Dhaka, Nov 17: A Bangladesh court on Monday convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of crimes against humanity, concluding a months-long trial over her alleged role in a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising that toppled her government last year. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Hasina and her aides.
The three-member tribunal also reserved judgment against Hasina’s two former aides, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who face similar charges. Mamun appeared before the court, while Hasina, 78, and Kamal were tried in absentia.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam described Hasina as the “mastermind and principal architect” of atrocities committed during the protests. The charges stem from the mass uprising between July 15 and August 15, 2024, known as the “July Uprising,” during which a UN rights report estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed amid a sweeping security crackdown.
Hasina and Kamal fled Bangladesh as the unrest intensified on August 5, 2024, and are believed to be in India. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has requested their extradition, but India has not responded.
The tribunal heard 54 witnesses over 28 working days, concluding on October 23, who testified about the state’s response to the student-led agitation. The accused face multiple charges, including murder, attempted murder, torture, and other inhumane acts. Key allegations against Hasina include ordering the “extermination” of protesters, making inflammatory statements, and directing the use of lethal force against students. Additional charges relate to the deaths of six unarmed demonstrators in Dhaka and nearby areas.
Security has been heightened nationwide ahead of the verdict. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali issued shoot-at-sight orders against anyone attempting arson, explosions, or attacks on police and civilians. The Awami League, now disbanded, called a two-day shutdown in anticipation of the ruling. Army units, Border Guard Bangladesh personnel, and riot police have been deployed around the ICT-BD complex, leaving streets in the capital largely deserted amid fears of unrest.
In interviews with international media, Hasina has described the tribunal as a “kangaroo court” controlled by political opponents. She told PTI in an emailed statement that she is willing to face trial under international supervision, even at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, and accused the Yunus administration of avoiding impartial scrutiny that could acquit her.
The ICT-BD tribunal was originally established to try collaborators of Pakistani forces during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War. Its mandate was later amended under the Yunus administration to prosecute leaders of Hasina’s previous regime, with most senior Awami League figures now either jailed or in hiding.
