🔗 Share this article

The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over her severe measures on youth demonstrations which caused her forced departure.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom were killed during the unrest in the previous year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Legal authorities charged her of being responsible for numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied every accusation, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over extended periods of oppression. Families of those killed and wounded had requested tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a comprehensive declaration, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the interim government's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on individual freedoms.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the facts can be assessed and reviewed impartially."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics holding a protest and cheering as the verdict was read.

Dhaka experienced a recent spike in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

A minimum of one detonation was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative Jisanul Haque told press agencies.

The youth-driven revolt during 2024 began with demands to abolish government job quotas but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the nearly 1,400 casualties could constitute "human rights atrocities".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of others, unwarranted detentions and torture.

Unauthorized recordings of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by media examinations in previous months indicated she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, kin of those killed during the protests stated to media representatives they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Lucky Akther, whose partner was fatally injured near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their souls."

Following her removal, an temporary leadership led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A parliamentary election is set for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, Hasina's political party, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were prohibited from running in the upcoming election, millions would boycott the ballot.

The verdict now poses a foreign relations issue for the neighboring countries. Authorities have sought her repatriation but to date India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I am unable to challenge because my represented individuals are away; that's why I am sad," he continued.

The previous week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to kin of victims in the protests, it may have minimal effect on calming the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist told media outlets. "Both she and the organization has said sorry or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this country."

The advocate continued that the punishment was not finality for the relatives of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are amputees now, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Hasina and the old leadership," he expressed.