Bangladesh’s former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity by a special tribunial in absentia, over her crackdown on student-led protests which led to her ousting.
The unrest started simply enough: in July 2024, students rose up against a controversial government job‐quota system in public service roles.
What began as a demand for reform tapped into broader frustrations: increasing economic inequality, accusations of corruption, and long-standing grievances over authoritarian tactics.
As the protests grew, so did the crackdown. According to a UN investigation, Bangladesh’s security forces deployed a range of lethal weapons — shotguns, rifles, even helicopters — and carried out violent, coordinated repression.
The UN Human Rights Office found “reasonable grounds” to believe the security response included extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, and torture — evidence pointing toward a systematic strategy to suppress dissent under Hasina’s leadership.
One of the most haunting stories to emerge was that of Abu Sayed, a young student filmed with his arms spread wide, shouting “shoot me” before being struck down.
A forensic reconstruction later confirmed he was shot at close range with shotgun pellets, a finding consistent with deliberate, targeted violence.
The UN report also noted the killing and maiming of children, with as many as 12–13% of the deaths estimated to be minors. It detailed arbitrary detentions, the torture of protest leaders, and gender-based violence — including credible reports that security agents threatened women protesters with rape.
The Verdict: Hasina Found Guilty
Faced with mounting pressure, Hasina fled to India in August 2024, as the protests intensified and civil order unraveled.
In her absence, Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) — a three-judge bench — delivered its verdict: Hasina was found guilty of orchestrating attacks, ordering killings, and allowing inhumane acts against civilians.
Presiding Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder stated that Hasina gave orders to use helicopters, drones, and lethal weapons against demonstrators.
Alongside her, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan was also sentenced to death, while a former police chief received a five-year prison term after testifying.
The United Nations’ probe paints a chilling picture. According to the OHCHR, security forces acted under “an official policy … to attack and violently repress anti-government protesters.”
Senior officials and political leaders allegedly coordinated these operations, treating the protests not just as civil unrest, but a threat to power.
The UN mission also reported cases in which security forces denied medical care to the injured, fingerprinted patients in hospitals, and even seized hospital CCTV footage in a bid to cover up abuse.
Reactions and Fallout
Hasina, still in exile, has vehemently rejected the court’s decision. In a five-page statement, she called the verdict an attempt by the interim government to “nullify” her party, the Awami League, and insisted she would only face a “proper tribunal” where evidence could be fairly tested.
Speaking to the court before the verdict, she warned that her life—and legacy—remain in her own hands: “Let them announce whatever verdict they want … only Allah can end it. I will still serve my people.”
Since Hasina’s ouster, an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. That government has already banned the Awami League from contesting the next parliamentary elections, scheduled for February 2026.
Dhaka has formally requested India to extradite Hasina, but so far, New Delhi has remained non-committal.
Hasina’s legal team has also appealed urgently to the United Nations, raising serious issues about due process and the fairness of the trial.
