🔗 Share this article

Bangladesh's former prime minister has been sentenced to death for human rights violations stemming from her severe measures on youth demonstrations which resulted in her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against protesters, 1,400 of whom were killed during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, as she resides in exile in India following her ouster in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. Hasina has denied all charges, calling the trial as "unfair and agenda-driven".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over years of repression. Relatives of the deceased and wounded had called for strict sentences.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, the former leader stated the execution sentence was the caretaker administration's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her leadership's history on civil liberties.

"I do not fear to confront those accusing me in a just legal forum where the evidence can be weighed and reviewed impartially."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards before the verdict on Monday, with several of her detractors organizing a demonstration and applauding as the judgment was announced.

The capital witnessed a sudden increase in turmoil, with numerous incendiary devices set off and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

One explosive incident was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, regional security representative the police spokesperson informed news organizations.

The protest movement led by students last year began with requests to remove public sector reservation policies but evolved into a wider anti-government movement.

United Nations rights examiners declared in an analysis in February that the approximately 1,400 deaths could represent "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of certain demonstrators, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Unauthorized recordings of a telephone conversation involving Hasina verified by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had authorized the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those who died in the demonstrations informed press outlets they wanted the former leader to face strict penalties.

Ramjan Ali, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for her and co-accused who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will find peace in their hearts."

After her departure, an caretaker administration under the guidance of economic expert Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A general election is scheduled for February 2026.

However, the Hasina's political party, the former ruling party, was banned by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

Hasina warned last month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the forthcoming vote, numerous would avoid the election.

The judgment creates a international dilemma for both nations. Dhaka has formally requested her repatriation but so far India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

The legal representative assigned to her Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; that's why I am disappointed," he continued.

The previous week, Hasina's lawyers said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN highlighting significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and top law enforcement officer.

Although the punishment grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the the former ruling faction has not subsided," a Dhaka-based rights activist informed news organizations. "Both she and the organization has expressed regret or displayed repentance for the fatalities of countless citizens."

The activist stated "This complicates matters for the party to be accepted by a most citizens in this country."

The campaigner further stated that the punishment was not closure for the families of those who died and were wounded.

"We support multiple individuals who underwent irreversible limb loss, they are now disabled, because of the suppression. They are incapable of excusing her."

An analyst, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a regular participant of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Sheikh Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.