Bangladesh Tribunal Set to Deliver Verdict Against Deposed PM Sheikh Hasina; Shoot-at-Sight Order Issued in Dhaka
Security across Bangladesh has been intensified ahead of Monday’s tribunal verdict in a case against deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, with Dhaka police issuing a shoot-at-sight order targeting violent protesters.
Hasina, who has resided in India since August 2024, is undergoing trial in absentia for alleged crimes against humanity committed during last year’s student-led uprising that brought down her Awami League government.
The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD), which according to Prosecutor Gazi Monawar Hossain Tamim is expected to convene at 11 am, will also announce its verdict against two of Hasina’s associates former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun on identical charges.
The 78-year-old Hasina faces numerous charges following her ouster in August 2024 after the mass student-led demonstrations.
Prosecutors are demanding capital punishment for the defendants. Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali issued a shoot-at-sight directive on Sunday evening against anyone participating in arson attacks, crude bomb explosions, or attempts to harm police and civilians ahead of the ICT-BD ruling, PTI reported.
Unknown individuals on Sunday night torched a vehicle disposal area at a police station facility and detonated two crude bombs outside an advisory council member’s home in the interim government.
Army personnel, Border Guard Bangladesh forces, and riot police have been positioned around the ICT-BD premises. Capital streets appeared mostly empty amid concerns about potential violence.
The now-dissolved Awami League had declared a two-day shutdown preceding the verdict.
The Charges
Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun face five separate charges, including murder, attempted murder, torture, and other inhumane acts. An additional charge accuses Hasina of ordering the “extermination” of demonstrators. She also stands accused of delivering inflammatory statements and commanding the deployment of lethal weapons against students.
Further charges involve the shooting deaths of six unarmed protesters in Dhaka and its surrounding regions.
Also read: Hasina’s Son Issues Violence Warning Ahead of Bangladesh Verdict: ‘She’s Safe in India’
In recent interviews with international and Indian media outlets, Hasina characterized the tribunal as a “kangaroo court” operated by individuals connected to her political opponents. The ICT-BD was originally established by the previous government to prosecute Pakistani troops’ collaborators during Bangladesh’s 1971 Liberation War.
The Yunus administration subsequently modified the legislation to prosecute leaders from the former regime, including Hasina. Most Awami League officials and prominent figures from the past government are either imprisoned or evading authorities.
‘They’ll Probably Sentence Her to Death’: Son
Meanwhile, Sajeeb Wazed, Hasina’s son and adviser, told Reuters on Sunday, “We know exactly what the verdict is going to be. They’re televising it. They’re going to convict her, and they’ll probably sentence her to death.” Wazed, based in Washington, DC, stated, “What can they do to my mother? My mother is safe in India. India is giving her full security” and treating her “like a head of state”.
Wazed warned that Awami League supporters would prevent February’s national election if the party ban remains, cautioning that demonstrations could turn violent.
Up to 1,400 Deaths Reported
A UN rights office assessment calculated that up to 1,400 individuals perished between July 15 and August 15 during what became known as the July Uprising, as her government authorized an extensive security crackdown.
Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun underwent trial before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD). The court designated Hasina and Kamal as fugitives and proceeded with their trial in absentia. Mamun participated in the trial personally but subsequently became an approver.
Requesting the death penalty for Hasina, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam portrayed her as the “mastermind and principal architect” of the alleged brutalities during the protests. Her supporters contend the charges carry political motives.
The tribunal finished hearings on October 23 after 28 working days, during which 54 witnesses testified, describing the government’s response to the student-led movement that toppled Hasina’s Awami League administration on August 5, 2024.
Hasina escaped the country that same day amid escalating unrest and has remained in India since. Kamal is also believed to have sought refuge in India.
The interim government under Muhammad Yunus has requested Hasina’s extradition, but India has yet to provide a response.
(With input from agencies)