• Court finds Hasina guilty on three counts as packed courtroom erupts
• Former prime minister tried in absentia after refusing to return from India
• Ruling heightens tension ahead of Bangladesh’s 2026 general elections
Bangladesh plunged deeper into political uncertainty on Monday after a Dhaka court sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity linked to a deadly crackdown on student protesters during her final days in power.
The 78-year-old former leader refused court orders to return from India to attend the proceedings, leading to a trial in absentia that gripped the nation and dominated global headlines.
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The verdict — broadcast live across Bangladesh — drew loud cheers inside the crowded courtroom as Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder delivered the ruling.
READ ALSO: Bangladesh Prime Minister Resigns, Flees Following Deadly Protest
According to the judge, Hasina was “found guilty on three counts, including incitement, order to kill, and inaction to prevent the atrocities,” before sentencing her to death on the grounds that “all elements constituting crimes against humanity have been fulfilled.”
The court also found former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, also in hiding, guilty on four counts and sentenced him to death. Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who pleaded guilty, received a five-year jail term.
Bangladesh has remained tense since Hasina’s overthrow in August 2024, with violent clashes shaping the political atmosphere ahead of elections expected in February 2026. The United Nations estimates that as many as 1,400 people were killed during the protests and crackdowns — deaths central to the prosecution’s case.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam earlier expressed hope that the verdict would “fulfil the people’s thirst for justice.”
Hasina, represented by a state-appointed lawyer she refused to recognise, repeatedly dismissed the trial as politically motivated. In a written interview with AFP in October, she described the judgment as “preordained,” adding that she would “not be surprised when it comes.”
Security around the court was tightened ahead of the ruling, with armoured vehicles stationed at entry points in Dhaka. Police spokesman Talebur Rahman said nearly half of the city’s 34,000 officers were deployed due to fears of unrest.
Dhaka has seen rising tensions in recent weeks, including crude bomb attacks targeting buildings linked to the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, as well as transport hubs and Christian sites.
The political climate worsened further when Bangladesh summoned India’s envoy, accusing New Delhi of allowing Hasina — currently residing there — to “spew hatred” by granting her media access.
Despite international pressure, Hasina has remained defiant.
In her October remarks, she said she “mourned all the lives lost during the terrible days,” a comment that provoked outrage among families of victims who accused her of attempting to rewrite history.
She also criticised the interim government’s ban on her former ruling party, the Awami League, warning that the move risked deepening the already-fragile political situation in the nation of 170 million people.
The sentencing is expected to trigger a wave of protests, further tests for security forces, and renewed diplomatic tension as Bangladesh heads towards one of the most consequential elections in its modern history.
