A former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, was sentenced to death by a war crimes court on Monday following a trial where she was found guilty of ordering a violent crackdown on a student-led protest last year. The ruling marks a significant legal action against a former Bangladeshi leader and comes just before upcoming parliamentary elections scheduled for early February.
Hasina’s party, the Awami League, has been disqualified from participating in the elections, raising concerns that the verdict could escalate tensions before the vote. The International Crimes Tribunal, situated in Dhaka, handed down the verdict in Hasina’s absence as she had fled to India in August 2024.
Sheikh Hasina, aged 78, received a life sentence for crimes against humanity and a death sentence for her involvement in the deaths of several individuals during the unrest. The announcement of the death penalty was met with applause and celebration in the courtroom.
The verdict is subject to appeal in the country’s Supreme Court. In response to the ruling, Hasina criticized the tribunal as biased and politically motivated, claiming it was orchestrated by an unelected government seeking to eliminate her as the elected prime minister and undermine her party.
During the trial, prosecutors presented evidence suggesting Hasina directly ordered the use of lethal force to suppress the student-led protests in 2024, resulting in a significant number of casualties. The violence during the protests, as reported by the United Nations, was the worst in Bangladesh since its independence war in 1971.
Hasina was represented by a state-appointed defense counsel who argued against the charges. The interim government, however, maintained that the tribunal operated transparently and independently, denying allegations of political bias.
The country has been on edge ahead of the verdict, with several incidents of bomb explosions and vehicle torching reported. The nation, governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus since Hasina’s departure, is striving to maintain political stability amidst the ongoing turmoil.
In a recent interview, Hasina warned of growing discontent among her supporters and anticipated a boycott of the upcoming elections by millions of party loyalists. Security measures were heightened across Dhaka and other major cities in anticipation of potential unrest following the court’s decision.
The ruling against Hasina, delivered by a court she established to address war crimes from Bangladesh’s liberation war, marks a significant downfall for the once-dominant political figure. Hasina, who returned to Bangladesh in the 1980s after years in exile, led the Awami League to power on multiple occasions, with her rule later marred by allegations of authoritarianism and human rights abuses.
Critics accused her of consolidating power and suppressing dissent during her tenure, while rights groups raised concerns about the lack of political pluralism. Despite her claims of fostering stability and development, economic challenges and political unrest marked the latter years of her rule, culminating in her fleeing the country amidst widespread protests.
Overall, the sentencing of Sheikh Hasina underscores a tumultuous chapter in Bangladesh’s political landscape, with uncertainties looming over the nation’s future direction.
