By SCM Staff Writer in Bangladesh
BANGLADESH -;SHEIKH HASINA, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, has been found GUILTY of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death in a stunning verdict that has rocked Asia.
The fugitive strongwoman, 78, was convicted today by a court in Dhaka after being tried in absentia—meaning she wasn’t even there to hear the devastating judgment.
Hasina, who ruled Bangladesh with an iron fist for 15 straight years, is currently living in a secure bolthole in India, where she fled after a massive student uprising forced her to resign last year.
The charges stem from the brutal suppression of those very student protests in 2024, during which up to 1,400 people are believed to have been massacred by state security forces acting under her command.
Prosecutors told the International Crimes Tribunal that the former PM was the “mastermind and principal architect” who gave direct orders to use drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons on unarmed demonstrators.
The court ruled the attacks were “widespread and systematic” and directed against the civilian population.
The conviction is a hammer blow to Hasina’s political dynasty, though her supporters have dismissed the process as a “kangaroo court” and a politically motivated sham.
Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, has reportedly warned that the Awami League faithful will not take the ruling lying down, raising fears that the political volcano in Bangladesh is about to erupt again.
With the former leader safe in exile and her home country teetering on the brink of chaos, the question now is whether India will extradite the newly convicted killer to Bangladesh for execution.
The Ex-PM’s Bloody Downfall
Sheikh Hasina’s fall from power was one of the most dramatic political events of the decade. Her conviction today is directly linked to the violence that finally brought her down.
The July Revolution: After years of autocratic rule and crackdowns on dissent, massive student-led protests demanding her resignation erupted in July 2024.
Hasina’s government responded with extreme, lethal force, resulting in an estimated 1,400 deaths, mostly from security force gunfire.
Fleeing to India: As the uprising reached her doorstep in Dhaka, Hasina resigned and fled the country on August 5, 2024, taking refuge in India.
The Trial: The current interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, initiated the trials shortly after, focusing on the atrocities committed during the crackdown.
Despite being tried in absentia, Hasina was assigned a state lawyer, though she refused to recognise the court’s authority. The verdict today confirms her criminal responsibility for the violence.
Bangladesh remains deeply unstable. Hasina’s Awami League party is banned from political activity, and the country is under high alert amid recent bombings and arson attacks ahead of national elections scheduled for next year.
