Sheikh Hasina, associate sentenced to death over 2024 crackdown on youth

Sheikh Hasina, associate sentenced to death over 2024 crackdown on youth

A special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death on Monday, finding them guilty of crimes against humanity during the state crackdown on a student uprising in July-August 2024.

Former Inspector-General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned a state witness and testified before the tribunal against Ms. Hasina and Mr. Khan, was sentenced to five years in prison after he admitted to his involvement in the crackdown of the protests that led to the fall of the Hasina government. Reacting to the development, Ms. Hasina said the charges were unjustified, arguing she and Mr. Khan “acted in good faith and were trying to minimise the loss of life”.

‘Misreading facts’

“We lost control of the situation, but to characterise what happened as a premeditated assault on citizens is simply to misread the facts,” the former Prime Minister said in a statement. “I mourn all of the deaths that occurred in July and August of last year, on both sides of the political divide. But neither I nor other political leaders ordered the killing of protesters,” she added.

The verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 represents the most dramatic legal action against the Awami League leader and comes just months before the parliamentary election scheduled for February. The tribunal also asked the government to provide compensation to the families of the victims and to those injured during the crackdown.

Attorney-General Md Asaduzzaman said Ms. Hasina, who is now in exile in India, and Mr. Khan, who is also in exile, cannot appeal the ruling as long as they remain fugitives. He further said the court had ordered the attachment and confiscation of all properties belonging to Ms. Hasina and Mr. Khan within Bangladesh, and that the state would take all necessary legal measures to implement the verdict.

Leaders and activists from various political and social organisations gathered outside the tribunal as the verdict was being read out. A group of students at Dhaka University were seen chanting slogans demanding execution of Ms. Hasina. Awami League activists took out processions across the country against the verdict. Several of them were arrested.

Shortly after the verdict, Home Affairs Adviser Lt. Gen. (Retd) Jahangir Alam alleged that attempts are being made “from a neighbouring country” to destabilise Bangladesh’s security and law-and-order situation.

‘Extradite convicts’

“We urge the Government of India to immediately extradite the two convicts to the Bangladeshi authorities,” Dhaka’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement, adding that it was “an obligatory responsibility for India”. Bangladesh warned that “granting asylum to these convicts... would be extremely unfriendly and an affront to justice.”

The Awami League denounced the ruling. “We reject this illegal and politically motivated verdict of the ‘Kangaroo Court’ against Bangabandhu’s daughter, the leader of the people and the President of the Awami League. We hope that the people of Bangladesh will reject this verdict. We will establish the rule of law in the country by releasing [Muhammad] Yunus very soon,” Awami League organising secretary Shafiul Alam Chowdhury Nadel told The Hindu.

Related blogs

PM Modi Champions 'Orange Economy' at WAVES Summit, Announces WAVES Awards

May 05, 2025

During the WAVES Summit in Mumbai, Prime Minister Narendra Modi underlined India's developing position in the global creative economic sector. During his opening address, India earned the description of an "orange economy" because cultural and creative sectors drive both financial growth and job creation. Rajnikanth and Mukesh Ambani joined

Read More

Mahahtra Reclaims Historic Sword of Raghuji Bhosale I at Sotheby’s Auction

May 02, 2025

The Mahahtra government achieved a historical milestone by returning to India the historic sword of Raghuji Bhosale I during a Sotheby’s auction in London, which belonged to a notable 18th-century Maratha ruler. The state of Mahahtra achieves its first success in acquiring historical artifacts from international auctions. The bidding

Read More