Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the country’s International Crimes Tribunal after being found guilty of crimes against humanity.
The tribunal ruled that Hasina ordered a violent suppression of student-led protests in 2024 that resulted in hundreds of deaths.
According to United Nations estimates published in February 2025, the death toll may have reached 1,400, while Bangladesh’s interim authorities report more than 800 dead and over 14,000 injured.
The protests began in mid-2024 as student groups mobilised across Bangladesh demanding democratic reforms and calling for an end to political repression.
The demonstrations escalated in scale, drawing widespread participation across major cities, including Dhaka and Chittagong.
The tribunal found that Hasina responded to the protests with extreme force.
She was charged with incitement to violence through public addresses, direct orders to deploy lethal weapons, including drones and helicopters, and failure to prevent atrocities committed by police and military units.
The charges were upheld by a three-member bench in the capital Dhaka after a months-long trial.
Trial held without Hasina present in court
Hasina, who led the Awami League and served as Prime Minister from 2009 until her ousting on 5 August 2024, was not present during the trial.
She has been living in exile in New Delhi since being removed from office following the fallout from the protests.
The tribunal stated that sufficient attempts were made to ensure her participation, but she failed to return. Her absence led to a trial in absentia.
Alongside Hasina, her former interior minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, and the former police chief, Abdullah al-Mamun, were also charged.
Only Mamun was present during the court proceedings.
The court ruled that the actions of the accused during the 2024 protests met the legal definition of crimes against humanity.
The judgment cited evidence of widespread killings, enforced disappearances, torture, and destruction of civilian property by state forces.
Hasina was found to have directly contributed to and sanctioned these actions while failing to restrain those under her command.
Security heightened ahead of national election
The verdict comes at a critical time for Bangladesh. National elections are scheduled for early February.
The Awami League, which was banned following Hasina’s removal from power, remains sidelined.
The ruling has the potential to reignite political unrest, with some protests already breaking out in cities across the country after the sentence was announced.
Courtroom reactions underscored the emotionally charged atmosphere.
Applause and chants erupted inside and outside the court following the verdict, with calls for capital punishment against those convicted.
Judges were forced to request silence as the cheering disrupted proceedings.
The ruling further complicates Bangladesh’s political stability.
Security has been heightened nationwide, and interim authorities have warned of potential escalations as tensions rise in the lead-up to elections.
With Hasina’s conviction dominating national discourse, opposition parties are under increased scrutiny, and international observers are watching closely.
Extradition unlikely as legal options remain open
India, where Hasina currently resides, is under pressure to extradite her to Bangladesh.
However, it is unlikely to comply given the geopolitical and legal sensitivities involved.
Hasina has dismissed the legitimacy of the tribunal and continues to deny all allegations, stating that the reported death toll has been exaggerated.
Although the tribunal’s ruling carries the death sentence, Hasina has the right to appeal to Bangladesh’s Supreme Court.
It remains uncertain whether she will exercise that right or continue to resist the proceedings from abroad.
Meanwhile, the tribunal is expected to announce sentences for other defendants in the case in the coming days.
This judgment represents one of the most significant legal outcomes in Bangladesh’s recent history.
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