Bangladesh Court Orders Death Sentence For Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina For 'Crime Against Humanity' During 2024 Students' Protest

Dhaka: Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) on Monday, November 17, ordered death sentence for former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for "crimes against humanity" committed during the widespread protests against her government in July last year.

Earlier, she was declared a fugitive by the court. Hasina was tried in absentia. The historic judgement concluded that former Bangladesh PM and the two other accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, had orchestrated and enabled atrocities during the July-August movement.

While pronouncing the verdict, the tribunal said the prosecution had proved beyond a reasonable doubt that Hasina was behind the deadly crackdown on student-led protests between July 15 and August 15 last year.

The Former Bangladesh PM was held responsible for ordering the use of strong force against unarmed protesters, making inflammatory statements and authorising military operations that led to the killing of several students in Dhaka and surrounding areas.

Here's What The Tribunal Said:

"Accused prime minister Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity by her incitement order and also failure to take preventive and punitive measures under charge 1," the International Crimes Tribunal said as cited by Al Jazeera.

"Accused Sheikh Hasina committed one count of crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters and lethal weapons under charge number 2," the special tribunal said.

The tribunal concluded hearings on October 23 after 28 working days. During the hearing 54 witnesses were testified about the Hasina government's response to the student-led movement that toppled Hasina's government on August 5, 2024.

A report by the UN rights office had earlier estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the month-long agitation, known as the 'July Uprising'.

Security has been tightened in the neighbouring country in the wake of the judgment. The now-disbanded Awami League called a two-day shutdown ahead of the judgment. For the unversed, the Awami League is Hasina's political party.

Where Is Sheikh Hasina Living After Ousted?

After Hasina's government toppled on August 5 last, he fled the country and landed at Delhi's Hindon Airport. She is currently living in India. However, her exact location is not known.