🔗 Share this article

The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity due to her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her forced departure.

Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom died during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India after being removed from office in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of hundreds of killings during the protests. The former leader rejected all charges, describing the process as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over long-standing suppression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a five-page statement, Hasina said the execution sentence was the temporary leadership's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a governing body and that she was satisfied of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and examined justly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security prior to the verdict on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina organizing a demonstration and applauding as the sentence was declared.

The city has seen a notable rise in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the period preceding the verdict.

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

The protest movement led by students last year began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but morphed into a wider anti-government movement.

International human rights monitors stated in a document in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls authenticated by external reviews earlier this year suggested she had authorized the use of "lethal weapons" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest told press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Exclusively thereafter the kin of victims [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

However, the her former political organization, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the party's candidates were barred from participating in the imminent electoral process, millions would boycott the vote.

The verdict now poses a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her the defense lawyer said he was "disappointed and hoping the verdict had been different".

"I cannot even contest because my clients are absent; which is why I am disappointed," he added.

Last week, her legal team said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN raising significant due process and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina alongside her previous domestic affairs official and police chief.

While the sentence offers some closure to kin of victims in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The resentment towards Hasina and the the former ruling faction has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to media outlets. "Neither she nor the party has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a bulk of the population in this country."

The activist added that the penalty was not finality for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for her party to become a regular participant of the country's governance system again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a distancing from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership," he said.