In a significant legal development, a special domestic tribunal in Bangladesh is presiding over a case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with the chief prosecutor demanding the ultimate penalty: death. This grave accusation is linked to alleged crimes against humanity committed during widespread popular protests last year, which ultimately led to the collapse of her government and her subsequent flight from the country.
The nationwide demonstrations in July and August 2024 were marred by intense violence, resulting in hundreds of fatalities. Among the casualties were students, security personnel, and political activists, highlighting the profound instability that gripped the nation during that period.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam, presenting his closing arguments to the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka, also called for the death sentence for former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, citing the severity of his alleged offenses. The tribunal will decide on the sentence for former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who is currently in custody and has become a state witness after pleading guilty to charges.
Sheikh Hasina has been living in exile in India since she departed Bangladesh on August 5 of last year, with Mr. Khan also reportedly taking refuge in India. Further proceedings are necessary to conclude the trial before a verdict can be reached. Ms. Hasina has consistently dismissed the entire judicial process as a “kangaroo court” and has not appointed her own legal counsel. Consequently, a state-appointed lawyer is now tasked with presenting arguments on her behalf.
Following Ms. Hasina’s ouster, Bangladeshi Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus assumed leadership of an interim government. Mr. Yunus has publicly pledged to prosecute Ms. Hasina and has taken the measure of banning her Awami League party from engaging in political activities.
During his impassioned arguments, Prosecutor Islam forcefully labeled Ms. Hasina as the “mastermind and principal architect” behind the atrocities perpetrated during the uprising. Citing a United Nations report from February that indicated up to 1,400 deaths, Islam contended that if each life lost were to be individually avenged, Ms. Hasina could face 1,400 death sentences. He explicitly alleged that she had “personally ordered the killings.” As of now, Ms. Hasina’s party has not issued an immediate response to these specific claims and has previously called for independent investigations into the casualty figures, which they dispute.
These high-stakes legal proceedings are unfolding amidst heightened political tensions across Bangladesh. The situation is further complicated by the recent indictments of 25 former and currently serving military officials, some of whom previously held leadership positions in a powerful military intelligence unit. These individuals face charges in three separate cases, including allegations of enforced disappearances that reportedly occurred during Ms. Hasina’s 15-year rule. The military confirmed on Sunday that 15 officers are being held in a jail within the Dhaka Cantonment. However, many other accused officials are believed to have already fled the country.
Muhammad Yunus has repeatedly reiterated his commitment to holding elections in February, with the stated goal of transitioning power to a democratically elected government. Given the current ban on its activities, Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League party faces extremely limited prospects of participating in the upcoming electoral contest.