Bangladesh court sentences ousted ex-PM Sheikh Hasina to death for 'crimes against humanity'

Kathmandu:  Bangladesh court has found ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty of committing "crimes against humanity" during the July-August uprising in 2024.

Local media reported that the International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced Hasina to death. The tribunal found the former PM guilty on all five charges of crimes against humanity, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The news outlet further said that the historic judgement concludes that Hasina and the two other accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal had orchestrated and enabled atrocities during the July-August movement. The Awami league leader, who is currently in exile in India was tried in absentia.

The 78-year-old leader had fled to New Dehi after the fall of her regime in Dhaka. "Accused prime minister Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity by her incitement order and also failure to take preventive and punitive measures under charge 1," the International Crimes Tribunal said as cited by Al Jazeera.

Accused Sheikh Hasina committed one count of crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters and lethal weapons under charge number 2," the special tribunal said. Bangladesh Television broadcast the live proceedings of Justice Golam Murtaza who heads the the country's International Crimes Tribunal-1- a three-member tribunal overseeing this case, bagan reading out the verdict on Monday afternoon.

The tribulant said that Hasina "ordered to kill the protesting students" during the July-August unrest, Bangladesh News 24 reported. Hasina was ousted from power on August 5 2024, and fled to India in the face of a student-led mass uprising. The trial has proceeded in absentia after showing the two as fugitives. according to Bangladesh news 24. Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam told reporters last week that the prosecution had sought the death penalty for Hasina and Asaduzzaman. 

On August 5, 2024 six students were shot dead during law enforcement action in the Chankharpul area of Dhaka and Hasina, Kamal and Mamun have been charged with responsibility for the operation that led to the deaths. Also on August 5, 2024 six people were shot in Ashulia; five bodies were burned, and the sixth, still alive, was allegedly burned alongside them. Prosecutors say the killings were executed with the knowledge, involvement and approval of the accused, the Bangladesh news outlet said.

Defence lawyer Md Amir Hossain has rejects the allegations as "false and fabricated", saying there is no documentary proof that Hasina ordered any killings, and that a "separate group" carried out the violence that destabilized the country as per the Dhaka Tribune report. 

RSS/ANI