Bangladesh court awards death sentence to Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity

The court found the 78-year-old leader, who fled to India amid severe protests against her regime on August 5, 2024, guilty on three counts.

The verdict was pronounced after a month-long trial.

The  International Crimes Tribunal found Hasina guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on a student-led uprising.

Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal was also awarded the death penalty, while former inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who became a state witness, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment in the case, reported The Daily Star.

The court even directed the confiscation of Hasina and Kamal's properties in favour of the state.

The three-member International Crimes Tribunal was headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder.

According to local media reports, Kamal is currently a 'fugitive'. Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun is currently in custody and has even pleaded guilty.

Since escaping to India amid severe protests, Hasina has been staying in the neighbouring nation.

Speaking to NDTV, Hasina, one of Bangladesh’s longest-serving leaders, said, “The events of last summer were a tragic subversion of democracy. What began as legitimate student protests was exploited by anti-democratic forces who conspired to remove the elected government through violence and intimidation, leading to chaos and needless loss of life.”

Reflecting on the July–August 2024 Uprising, Hasina added, “It quickly became clear that the security situation had deteriorated so drastically that my only option was to leave Dhaka to ensure the safety of my family and to prevent further escalation of violence.”

Security across Bangladesh has been heightened across the country ahead of the pronouncement of the verdict.