🔗 Share this article

The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on student-led protests which resulted in her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals were killed during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being the mastermind of numerous deaths during the protests. The former leader rejected every accusation, labeling the proceedings as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had called for tough penalties.

Reacting to the verdict in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and examined justly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and cheering as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with multiple explosives detonated and buses set on fire in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the police spokesperson told press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt last year started with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "human rights atrocities".

The report documented the shooting at point-blank range of some protesters, the deliberate maiming of others, unwarranted detentions and mistreatment.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls confirmed by external reviews in previous months implied she had sanctioned the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The sound file was broadcast in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, family members of those killed during the protests stated to media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

Another relative, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "executed before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their minds."

After her departure, an temporary leadership headed by economic expert Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is scheduled for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

She alerted last month that if the party's candidates were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the vote.

This decision presents a diplomatic challenge for both nations. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; which is why I am sad," he stated further.

Recently, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Hasina was tried in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist told news organizations. "The leader and her faction has said sorry or displayed repentance for the deaths of numerous individuals."

The activist stated "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this nation."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not finality for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist numerous persons who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "fundamental aspect of the condemnation could make it increasingly challenging" for her party to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.