After the former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to death by Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, ICT-BD, the country has witnessed an escalation of its political crisis. Because of her alleged role in overseeing a bloody crackdown on a rebellion led by students last July and August 2024, the tribunal found her guilty of crimes against humanity. The prosecution said Hasina and her men repressed the protesters with lethal weapons, drones, and helicopters. The court accused her of issuing orders that involved the killing of students, labelling protesters as “Razakars”, and instigating her security men to commit violence.
Sheikh Hasina
The tribunal sentenced Hasina to death in absentia because she fled to India after her government was ousted. Her to life imprisonment for other alleged crimes and convicted her of three serious charges regarding mass killing and brutal behaviour. The tribunal also heard testimony from two of her closest associates, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Reports indicate that Mamun avoided execution by cooperating with the prosecution, but the tribunal also sentenced Kamal to death.
Security Crackdown
Authorities, anticipating widespread mayhem ahead of the ruling, placed a high amount of security in Dhaka and other key areas. Authorities used armoured vehicles and set up checkpoints around the tribunal. After receiving reports of explosions, homemade bombs, and arson attacks, they also issued “shoot-on-sight” orders in high-risk areas. Tensions between demonstrators and security forces escalated when the former attempted to use bulldozers to storm the family house of Hasina.
Sheikh Hasina Denouncement
Hasina immediately denounced the verdict from her self-imposed exile in India, contending that the interim government lacks democratic legitimacy. She referred to the tribunal as “rigged” and politically motivated. She also stated that her judges were acting under an “unelected government” because it wanted to eliminate her Awami League party as a political force. Hasina claims the trial will not be fair and says she will only face her accusers in a ‘proper tribunal’ where the evidence is judged openly.
Domestic Fallout
Her ruling Awami League party has described the ruling as given by a “kangaroo court” and urged supporters to protest through a nationwide shutdown. Elsewhere, students and opposition activists celebrated, seeing the judgment as overdue justice. Analysts warn that the verdict could further destabilise Bangladesh, with parliamentary elections due in February 2026.
Extradition Battle
New Delhi has not made a public response to the formal request for Hasina’s extradition made by the interim Bangladeshi administration. Human rights organisations have called on the government to follow due process, expressing concerns about the legality of the trial and the use of the death penalty. Some say that the case could worsen regional stability and even damage diplomatic relations.
Former PM Sheikh Hasina
The court calls for enforcing Hasina’s return or extradition, but her legal team may challenge the decision. The decision may widen political rifts and cast doubt on Bangladesh’s adherence to democratic principles. In particularly divisive political contexts, observers will closely watch whether this ruling becomes a precedent for how Bangladesh deals with past presidents.
