🔗 Share this article

Bangladesh's former prime minister has been given a death sentence for human rights violations stemming from her crackdown on youth demonstrations which led to her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the turmoil last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India following her ouster in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "prejudiced and driven by politics".

The decision signifies a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests unleashed anger over extended periods of oppression. Next of kin of victims and injured had requested severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a five-page statement, Hasina said the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was proud of her government's record on human rights.

"I do not fear to meet my challengers in a fair court where the evidence can be weighed and tested fairly."

The capital, Dhaka, where the tribunal took place, was under increased safeguards ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the verdict was read.

The capital witnessed a recent spike in disturbances, with numerous incendiary devices set off and public transport vehicles burned in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with zero injuries documented, regional security representative the authorities' representative told news organizations.

The protest movement led by students last year began with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors said in a report in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The paper detailed the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the intentional injuring of further participants, arbitrary arrests and torture.

Disclosed sound files of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by external reviews earlier this year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, kin of those who died in the demonstrations told news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

One relative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for her and co-accused who have "engaged in retaliatory actions and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the kin of victims [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership led by economist Muhammad Yunus has taken charge. A national vote is planned for February 2026.

Nevertheless, the her former political organization, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's temporary leadership in May.

The former leader cautioned last month that if the party's candidates were banned from standing in the upcoming election, numerous would avoid the vote.

This decision presents a international dilemma for India and Bangladesh. The Bangladesh government has asked her extradition but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to comply.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "unhappy and desiring the outcome had varied".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; for that reason I am disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out major judicial fairness and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

Legal proceedings involved Hasina in conjunction with her former home minister and security forces head.

Even though the verdict offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the country's political divisions.

"The anger against Sheikh Hasina and the her political party has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to news organizations. "The leader and her faction has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "This creates challenges for the organization to receive endorsement by a bulk of the population in this nation."

The campaigner further stated that the penalty was not resolution for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We work with multiple individuals who lost their limbs forever, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They cannot pardon her."

David Bergman, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it increasingly challenging" for Awami League to become a standard element of the country's governance system again.

This could alter if "there is some kind of apology and a separation from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he stated.