WEB DESK: A court in Bangladesh has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death, concluding a protracted trial in which she was found guilty of orchestrating a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising last year.
The ruling comes just months ahead of parliamentary elections anticipated to take place in early February, casting uncertainty over the political climate.
Hasina’s Awami League party has been prohibited from participating in the elections, raising concerns that this verdict could ignite further unrest as the country moves closer to the polls.
The International Crimes Tribunal, Bangladesh’s domestic war crimes court based in Dhaka, announced the guilty verdict on Monday under tight security measures. Hasina was absent during the proceedings, having fled to India in August 2024.
The decision can be challenged in the Supreme Court. However, Sajeeb Wazed, Hasina’s son and adviser, indicated to Reuters that they would only consider an appeal if a democratically elected government were in place with the participation of the Awami League.
Prosecutors during the trial claimed they had discovered evidence showing Hasina personally authorized the use of deadly force to quash the student-led protests that took place in July and August 2024.
A United Nations report cited that up to 1,400 individuals were killed during the demonstrations between July 15 and August 5, 2024. Thousands more were injured, with many of the casualties resulting from gunfire by security forces.
