Ousted Bangladeshi leader Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death over the 2024 Bangladesh crackdown
Suzan Seherin 
Verdict: Hasina sentenced to death
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity.
Judges ruled that she was the “mastermind and principal architect” of the 2024 crackdown on student-led protests.
The three-judge panel convicted Hasina in absentia of murder, extermination, torture and other inhumane acts.
Officials said the sentence will be formally recorded, although she remains outside the country under protection in India.
Background: July Revolution and deadly crackdown
The case centres on the “July Revolution,” a mass uprising that began with student protests over job quotas and broadened into calls for Hasina’s resignation.
Demonstrations swept Dhaka and other cities in mid-2024, paralysing the country and eroding the government’s authority.
Security forces then launched a sweeping crackdown using live ammunition, armoured vehicles and aerial assets.
A UN fact-finding report later estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands more injured or arrested.
The uprising ended Hasina’s 15-year rule and forced her to flee to India in August 2024.
An interim administration led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus then revived the International Crimes Tribunal to investigate the violence.
Evidence: UN report and tribunal findings
Prosecutors argued that the crackdown was a “coordinated and systematic attack” on civilians rather than a response to isolated unrest.
They presented drone logs, intercepted communications and witness testimony suggesting Hasina ordered security forces to “shoot them” during key moments of the protests.
The tribunal relied heavily on the UN human rights report, which described “probable crimes against humanity” by state forces.
Judges concluded that Hasina both issued direct orders for lethal force and failed to prevent or punish widespread abuses.
Defence lawyers appointed by the court argued that the unrest posed a national security threat.
However, the judges rejected this, saying protest violence did not justify indiscriminate killings of students and bystanders.
Reactions: Awami League, supporters and critics
Hasina has refused to recognise the tribunal, calling it a political tool of the Yunus government.
Her now-banned Awami League party has denounced the process as a “kangaroo court” and urged supporters to protest.
Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, warned before the verdict that Bangladesh could face widespread unrest if the party ban remains.
Meanwhile, rights groups have welcomed the ruling as a rare example of a former leader being held accountable for alleged mass killings.
Security forces are on high alert in Dhaka, where authorities have imposed tight controls and “shoot-on-sight” orders against violent acts.
Minor clashes and explosions have already been reported near the tribunal complex in recent days.
Future: What the Hasina verdict means for Bangladesh
The verdict deepens Bangladesh’s political divide and raises questions about stability ahead of the planned February elections.
Awami League leaders insist they will boycott the polls unless their party is legalised and the trial is scrapped.
For supporters of the interim government, however, the sentence is a milestone in confronting past abuses.
They argue that ignoring the July killings would have entrenched a culture of impunity within security institutions.
Many observers worry about the regional implications as well.
India now hosts a former neighbour’s leader condemned to death, and it faces pressure over whether to continue providing Hasina protection or review her status.
As a result, Bangladesh stands at a crossroads.
The Hasina judgment may either open a path toward accountability and democratic reform, or it may fuel a new cycle of violence and polarisation if dialogue between rivals fails.
Sources: ICT Bangladesh, Reuters, The Guardian
Image m: Collected
About The Author
Sultanul Arefin 
