By A special tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death after finding her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on last year’s student-led uprising. The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka convicted the 78-year-old leader and two others of crimes against humanity.
The UN says up to 1,400 people were killed as Hasina’s government used force to suppress protests before her overthrow and escape to India in August 2024. The ruling, broadcast live, comes less than three months before national elections.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder said all elements of crimes against humanity were proven, finding Hasina guilty of incitement, ordering killings, and failing to stop the violence. Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan also received a death sentence in absentia, while ex-police chief Abdullah Al-Mamun got five years after pleading guilty.
Hasina rejected the verdict as “biased and politically motivated”, insisting she acted in good faith and never ordered killings. She cannot appeal unless she surrenders or is arrested within 30 days.
Bangladesh’s interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, called the verdict historic while urging calm. Security was tightened nationwide after clashes over the remains of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s home.
The UN welcomed accountability efforts but opposed the death penalty and raised concerns about the fairness of trials held in absentia.
Bangladesh urged India to extradite Hasina and Khan, but analysts say New Delhi is unlikely to comply, potentially heightening diplomatic tensions. Some experts believe the ruling aims to assure the public of a cleaner judicial process ahead of elections and may open the door to national reconciliation.
