Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death over student protests
Bangladesh’s former prime minister has been sentenced to death for crimes against humanity over his crackdown on student-led protests that led to his ouster.
Sheikh Hasina was found guilty of authorizing the use of lethal force against protesters, 1,400 of whom died in last year’s riots.
Hasina, who has been exiled in India since her removal from power in July 2024, was tried in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Bangladesh.
Prosecutors accused him of being behind hundreds of murders during protests. Hasina denied all the accusations and called the case “prejudicial and politically motivated”.
The decision marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh as protests unleash anger after years of repression. Families of those killed and injured called for harsh punishments.
Reacting to the decision in a five-page statement, Hasina said the death penalty was the interim government’s way of “nullifying” it. [her party] He said “Awami League is a political force” and that he is proud of his government’s record on human rights.
“I am not afraid to confront my accusers in a proper courtroom where the evidence can be fairly weighed and tested.”
Dhaka, the capital where the trial took place, was under tight security measures before Monday’s verdict; Many of Hasina’s critics held a rally and cheered as the verdict was read.
There has been recent unrest in the city, with dozens of bombs exploding and buses being set on fire in the days leading up to the decision.
Local police official Jisanul Haque told the BBC that at least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning and no casualties were reported.
Last year’s student-led uprising began with demands to abolish government employment quotas but has morphed into a broader anti-government movement.
U.N. human rights investigators said in a report in February that the nearly 1,400 deaths could amount to “crimes against humanity.”
The report documented the shooting of some protesters at close range, the deliberate maiming of others, arbitrary arrests, and torture.
Leaked audio of one of Hasina’s phone calls, verified by BBC Eye earlier this year, showed she authorized the use of “lethal weapons” in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the hearing.
Before the decision, families of those killed in the protests told the BBC they wanted Hasina to be severely punished.
Ramjan Ali, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted “exemplary punishment” for Hasina and others who “committed acts of revenge and abused their power.”
Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said he wanted Hasina’s sentence to be “executed before the elections.”
“Only then will the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts.”
Since Hasina’s ouster, an interim government led by economist Muhammad Younis has taken over. Parliamentary elections are planned to be held in February 2026.
However, Hasina’s political party, the Awami League, was banned by Bangladesh’s interim government in May.
Last month, Hasina warned that millions of people would boycott the vote if party candidates were barred from running in the upcoming elections.
The decision currently poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has officially requested his extradition, but India has so far shown no willingness to comply with the request.
Hasina’s state-appointed lawyer Mohammed Amir Hossain said he was “sorry” [and wishes] The decision was different”.
“I can’t even object because I don’t have clients, so I’m sorry,” he added.
Last week, Hasina’s lawyers said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN, raising serious fair trial and due process issues in the ICT.
Hasina was tried along with the former interior minister and police chief.
While this sentence promises some closure for the families of those killed in the protests, it may do little to calm the country’s political divisions.
“The anger towards Sheikh Hasina and the Awami League has not abated,” Dhaka-based human rights activist Shireen Huq told the BBC. “Neither he nor the party has shown any apology or remorse for the killing of hundreds of people.”
“It makes it harder for the party to be accepted by the majority in this country,” he said.
Ms Huq added that the sentence was not a closure to the families of those killed and injured.
“We work with a lot of people who have lost their limbs forever, they are now amputated because of the pressures. They will never be able to forgive him.”
David Bergman, a journalist and long-time Bangladesh observer, said that “the nature of the conviction could make it more difficult for the Awami League to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.”
He said this could change “if there is some kind of apology and distance from Sheikh Hasina and the old leadership.”
