Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death by Bangladesh Tribunal Over 2024 Unrest

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) on October 17, sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death after finding her guilty of alleged crimes against humanity linked to last year’s student-led uprising that toppled her Awami League government.

The three-member tribunal also delivered its judgment against two of Hasina’s aides — former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun — over the same charges. Al-Mamun was produced before the tribunal.

Reading the verdict to the court, Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder said the “accused prime minister committed crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters and lethal weapons”.

The United Nations report released in February estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the unrest, while the interim government’s health adviser reported more than 800 deaths and around 14,000 injuries.

Hasina, who has lived in exile in New Delhi since fleeing Bangladesh in August 2024, pleaded not guilty and dismissed the proceedings as a “politically motivated charade”.

A spokesperson for the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, which assumed power after Hasina’s uninterrupted 15-year rule ended, rejected allegations of political motivation, stating that the court “operated transparently, with observers present and regular documentation published.”

The country remains tense following several predawn explosions since November 10, including crude bombs detonated at the entrance of Grameen Bank headquarters in Mirpur. Security forces have heightened vigilance nationwide to prevent further unrest.

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