Bangladesh has entered a period of deep political turmoil after the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka sentenced former prime minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 student-led uprising. The verdict, delivered under tight security, accuses Hasina of ordering or failing to prevent deadly crackdowns that led to an estimated 1,400 deaths, according to UN figures. Tried in absentia while living in exile in India, Hasina denounced the ruling as politically motivated and called the tribunal a “kangaroo court.”
The tribunal also handed a death sentence to former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ordered the seizure of assets belonging to both leaders. Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun received a prison term after turning approver. The court held senior officials responsible for command decisions that resulted in mass casualties across multiple protest sites.
As the country prepares for elections next year, the judgement has triggered nationwide security alerts, sporadic protests, and heightened diplomatic pressure on India regarding Hasina’s possible extradition. With appeals still pending before the Supreme Court, the verdict marks a defining moment in Bangladesh’s political future—one that could reshape power structures and deepen existing divisions.
