Ex-Bangladesh PM sentenced to death

International

BANGLADESH plunged further into political uncertainty on Monday after the country’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) handed down a death sentence to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, convicting her of crimes against humanity linked to last year’s violent crackdown on student-led protests.

The 78-year-old former leader, who has been living in exile in India since her removal in July 2024, was tried in absentia.

In a report by BBC, the tribunal ruled that Hasina authorized the use of lethal force during months of unrest sparked by mass demonstrations over government hiring quotas.

More than 1,400 people were killed during the upheaval, a death toll the United Nations previously suggested could amount to crimes against humanity.

Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder said Hasina was found guilty of incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent widespread abuses.

Hasina, in a five-page statement released shortly after the verdict, condemned the ruling as a political purge orchestrated by Bangladesh’s interim government. She insisted the tribunal lacked impartiality and argued that the ruling was intended to erase her party, the Awami League, from the nation’s political landscape.

“I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal,” she said, asserting pride in her human rights record despite years of criticism.

Her conviction marks a dramatic fall from power for a leader who governed Bangladesh for 15 years, overseeing periods of strong economic growth while being accused of silencing critics through arrests, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings.

The student uprising that ultimately toppled her government transformed from a policy protest into a broader movement against authoritarianism, eventually forcing Hasina to flee.

Security across Dhaka was heightened ahead of the verdict, with police reporting at least one bomb explosion early Monday and several arson incidents in recent days. Crowds gathered outside the tribunal cheered when the sentence was announced, many of them family members of those killed in last year’s clashes who have long demanded accountability.

For some victims’ families, the ruling brought a sense of vindication. Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in 2024, said he wanted an “exemplary punishment,” while widow Lucky Akther said the sentence should be carried out before the 2026 election for “peace in their hearts.”

Rights groups, however, urged caution. While acknowledging the significance of the conviction, the UN Human Rights Office reiterated its opposition to the death penalty “in all circumstances.”

The verdict also places India in a diplomatic bind. Dhaka has formally requested Hasina’s extradition, but New Delhi has shown no indication it will hand her over, making it unlikely the sentence will be implemented. Hasina’s legal team has meanwhile appealed to the United Nations, alleging unfair proceedings and urging that the case be brought before an international court.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, described the ruling as “historic” but appealed for calm as tensions simmer. The Awami League, banned from participating in the upcoming February 2026 elections, has little room for political maneuvering as the country redefines its post-Hasina landscape.

Analysts warn that the ruling may further fracture Bangladesh’s already polarized politics. Rights activists argue that while accountability is necessary, the use of capital punishment risks deepening divisions and preventing meaningful reconciliation. Some observers believe the Awami League’s future hinges on whether it distances itself from its former leader. As journalist David Bergman noted, the nature of the conviction “could make it even more difficult for the party to regain political legitimacy.”(Xienderlyn Trinidad, USJ-R Comm Intern)