Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death after a panel of judges from the International Crimes Tribunal found her guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the violent suppression of last year’s student-led protests that ultimately led to the downfall of her government, reports the Baltimore Chronicle with reference to the CNN.
The three-judge tribunal concluded that Hasina bore direct responsibility for encouraging widespread extrajudicial killings carried out by law enforcement units. Relatives of victims attended the hearing, and the courtroom erupted in applause when the judges delivered the sentence. One judge declared that Hasina committed crimes against humanity by inciting violence, issuing orders, and failing to hold perpetrators accountable. The written verdict stated that it was “crystal clear” she had urged members of her political party to act violently and had explicitly instructed them to “kill and eliminate” demonstrating students.
What began as peaceful demonstrations over civil service job quotas escalated into a nationwide movement demanding Hasina’s resignation. According to the UN human rights office, the government’s crackdown may have resulted in as many as 1,400 deaths and injuries to an estimated 25,000 people. The charges against Hasina included inciting the killing of protesters, ordering executions by hanging, and authorizing the use of lethal weapons, drones, and helicopters to suppress unrest. She denies all allegations.
Hasina, who governed Bangladesh from 2009 until her ouster in 2024, has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi since August of last year, after mass protests forced her Awami League from power. She did not appear in court for the verdict. Her legal team criticized the proceedings and filed a petition with the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary, or arbitrary executions, citing “serious concerns” about due process and fair-trial violations. Bangladesh’s interim government has requested her extradition, but Indian authorities have yet to respond.
Unrest intensified in Dhaka ahead of the verdict. Police reported several Molotov cocktail explosions thrown from motorcycles on Sunday. Security forces deployed armored vehicles and riot-control teams around the courthouse, as well as police, border guards, and rapid-action units near key government facilities. Hasina’s son told Reuters that supporters would obstruct next year’s national elections unless the ban on the Awami League is lifted, warning that demonstrations could escalate into violence.
Hasina’s political trajectory has long been intertwined with the history of Bangladesh. As the eldest daughter of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman — the founding father of the nation — she witnessed the struggle for Bengali autonomy firsthand. After the 1975 military coup in which her parents and three brothers were assassinated, she and her sister went into exile. She returned in 1981 to take leadership of the Awami League and first became prime minister in 1996. After a period in opposition, she regained power in 2008 and remained in office until her ouster.
Although Bangladesh experienced substantial economic growth during her tenure, human rights groups repeatedly warned of rising authoritarianism, media suppression, intimidation of political opponents, and the use of cyber laws to stifle dissent. Her administration faced numerous waves of protest, but none destabilized her rule as dramatically as last year’s youth-led uprising. Many senior party members and relatives of Hasina are now abroad.
Supporters of Hasina argue that the trial is politically motivated and designed to permanently sideline her from the country’s political landscape. The Awami League remains banned, and judicial proceedings against its top figures continue. Meanwhile, the interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus maintains that the prosecutions are essential to restoring public trust and rebuilding democratic accountability.
Earlier we wrote that Former Gabonese First Lady and Son Sentenced to 20 Years for Embezzlement.
