Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death as Bangladesh Tribunal Rules on 2024 Students’ Crackdown
Bangladesh plunged deeper into political turmoil on Monday after the International Crimes Tribunal handed former prime minister Sheikh Hasina a death sentence, concluding a months-long trial that found her responsible for ordering a deadly crackdown on a nationwide student uprising in 2024. The verdict, delivered under strict security measures in Dhaka, declared Sheikh Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the mass unrest that erupted last year, marking one of the most dramatic and polarising judicial outcomes in the nation’s history.
The decision came in the absence of the longtime Awami League leader, who fled to India in August 2024 as protests intensified and her government began to lose control of the streets. The Tribunal ruled that Sheikh Hasina directly sanctioned the use of lethal force against student demonstrators, with prosecutors presenting what they described as extensive evidence of her command responsibility during the July–August uprising. The court also issued a life sentence on broader charges of crimes against humanity, but its most consequential ruling remains the death sentence tied to several killings during the unrest.
Witnesses inside the heavily guarded courtroom reported cheering and applause as the verdict was read out, reflecting the charged political atmosphere within Bangladesh ahead of national elections. The Awami League has already been barred from contesting the upcoming vote, escalating concerns that the judgment could trigger renewed violence across the country.
According to a United Nations report referenced during the trial, up to 1,400 people may have been killed between July 15 and August 5, 2024, making the student-led unrest the deadliest episode since the country’s 1971 Liberation War. Thousands more were injured—many suffering gunshot wounds from security forces deployed under Hasina’s administration. Prosecutors argued that the scale of the violence could not have occurred without explicit orders from the highest levels of government.
Hasina, now living in exile, rejected the charges as politically motivated and accused the Tribunal of conducting a predetermined trial, calling the outcome a “foregone conclusion.” Her son and adviser, Sajeeb Wazed, told Reuters before the verdict that the family would not pursue an appeal unless a democratically elected government—one that includes the Awami League—comes to power, raising questions about whether the legal challenge will proceed at all.
Her court-appointed defence lawyer argued the case lacked credible evidence and maintained that the prosecution relied heavily on contested testimonies and political narratives. He urged acquittal, but the Tribunal dismissed the defence arguments in its final ruling.
Monday’s verdict has deepened existing fissures in Bangladesh’s political landscape, where months of unrest, leadership vacuum, and fears of state repression have already created an atmosphere of volatility. Security forces have been deployed nationwide, with checkpoints, patrols, and movement restrictions reported in major cities amid fears of retaliatory protests.
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While the decision can be appealed in the Supreme Court, analysts say the broader implications extend far beyond the legal process. The sentence against the country’s longest-serving leader has added new uncertainty to an already tense electoral season and raised concerns among international observers about Bangladesh’s democratic trajectory.
As the nation braces for potential unrest, the case continues to reverberate across South Asia, reshaping the political narrative around a leader who dominated Bangladeshi politics for more than a decade and now stands at the center of one of the most consequential convictions in the country’s history.
FAQs
1. Why was Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death?
The Tribunal ruled she ordered lethal force during the 2024 student uprising, amounting to crimes against humanity.
2. Where is Sheikh Hasina now?
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 and has not returned to Bangladesh since.
3. How many people died in the 2024 Bangladesh protests?
A UN report estimates up to 1,400 deaths and thousands injured during the unrest.
4. Can Sheikh Hasina appeal the verdict?
Yes, an appeal can be filed in the Supreme Court, though her family says they may not pursue it under the current government setup.
5. How has Bangladesh reacted to the verdict?
Security has been tightened across the country, and the ruling has heightened political tensions ahead of elections.
