Bangladesh has been thrust into political turmoil once again after a special tribunal sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death for alleged crimes against humanity linked to the 2024 student-led uprising. The protests, which swept the country between July and August 2024, resulted in the deaths of around 1,400 people.

The verdict was delivered by a three-member tribunal led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mozumder, which read out a summary of the 453-page judgment in the absence of both Hasina and Khan. According to the court, the leaders orchestrated and authorised a brutal crackdown on unarmed students demanding reforms and accountability.

Hasina Denounces Verdict as “Rigged” and “Politically Motivated”

Speaking from abroad, the 78-year-old former prime minister condemned the ruling as illegitimate and biased. Hasina had defied court orders to return from India to attend the trial, insisting that the proceedings lacked transparency and due process.

“The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate,” she said in her statement. “They are biased and politically motivated.”

Hasina further alleged that the interim government aimed to “remove Bangladesh’s last elected prime minister and nullify the Awami League as a political force.”

Tribunal Findings: “Atrocities Orchestrated at the Highest Level”

According to reports cited by Dhaka Tribune, the tribunal concluded that Hasina, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, and former IGP Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were directly responsible for enabling and executing the violent suppression of student protesters.

Hasina was found guilty of ordering security forces to use lethal force, approving operations that resulted in mass casualties, and making inflammatory statements that escalated tensions.

Security Tightened Nationwide

Ahead of the historic verdict, Bangladesh’s interim government deployed paramilitary border guards and police across major cities, including Dhaka, to prevent unrest. The heightened security underscores the gravity of the trial and the politically charged atmosphere enveloping the country.

As Bangladesh braces for the fallout, international observers and rights organisations are expected to closely monitor the situation, especially as Hasina’s legal team prepares to challenge the ruling.