Former Bangladeshi PM Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death

Sheikh Hasina, the Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh

Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, 78, has been sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (a special domestic court in Dhaka). The verdict, delivered on Monday, November 17, finds Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity, specifically citing her role in the brutal suppression of mass student protests in 2024.

The Tribunal, headed by Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder, convicted Hasina on multiple counts, including incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent major crimes during the period of unrest. She was handed the death sentence (carried out by hanging in Bangladesh) and also a parallel life sentence for related crimes.

Background and Context

The verdict comes months after Hasina was forced to resign and fled to India in August 2024 amidst widespread protests that escalated into deadly violence. The student-led demonstrations, which occurred primarily between July 15 and August 5, 2024, resulted in the deaths of up to 1,400 protesters, according to UN figures, marking the worst violence since the country's independence in 1971.

The court’s decision arrives during a period of deep political crisis and heightened tension in Bangladesh, just ahead of parliamentary elections scheduled for February 2026, in which Hasina's Awami League party has been barred from participating. The verdict is expected to trigger further unrest.

Since Hasina's departure, the nation of 170 million has been led by an interim government under the leadership of 85-year-old Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.

Reaction and Legal Status

Hasina, who was represented by a state-appointed lawyer, immediately denounced the ruling from her refuge in India, calling the verdict "biased and politically motivated" and an "externally planned" conviction handed down by a "sham tribunal" without a democratic mandate. Dhaka has requested that New Delhi extradite both Hasina and her former Interior Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who was also sentenced to death in absentia.

The sentence is subject to appeal. While the trial process has faced criticism from analysts—particularly concerning the speed of the hearings, the lack of defense resources, and the conviction in absentia—the International Crisis Group has stated that a political comeback for Hasina now appears highly unlikely.

In related judgments, former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who appeared in court and pleaded guilty to some charges, was sentenced to five years in prison.