Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka for her role in the deadly crackdown on student-led protests in July and August 2.
The verdict, delivered in absentia, found Hasina guilty of ordering security forces to use lethal force, resulting in the deaths of up to 1,400 people, according to a United Nations report .
The trial, which lasted several months, heard evidence of Hasina’s direct command to suppress the protests, which were sparked by a government jobs quota system. Hasina’s defence team argued the charges were baseless and pleaded for acquittal, but the tribunal rejected their appeal.
Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since August 2024, denounced the trial as a “politically motivated charade” and claimed the verdict was a “foregone conclusion”. Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, stated they would not appeal the verdict unless a democratically elected government takes office with the Awami League’s participation .
The verdict has sparked concerns of fresh unrest ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for early February, with security tightened across Dhaka and other major cities.RN
