Bangladesh's ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her former Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, have been sentenced to death in absentia for their role in a deadly crackdown on a student uprising in 2024 that killed hundreds. They fled to India, which has so far refused extradition, making execution or imprisonment unlikely. The verdict has fueled further instability in Bangladesh, which is currently led by an interim government.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her close aide, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, to death for their involvement in the use of deadly force against student protesters during a 2024 uprising. Hasina, who was ousted in August 2024 after 15 years in power, was convicted on five charges of crimes against humanity and also received a sentence of imprisonment until natural death for ordering the extermination of protesters using advanced weaponry. Both Hasina and Khan fled to India last year, and India has declined Bangladesh's requests for extradition, making it improbable they will face the sentences. A third suspect, a former police chief, received a five-year prison sentence after becoming a state witness. The student-led uprising in July and August 2024 resulted in over 800 deaths (interim government estimate) and up to 1,400 deaths (UN estimate), with approximately 14,000 injured. Hasina has denounced the verdict as 'biased and politically motivated,' claiming she acted in good faith to minimize casualties. Her Awami League party has called for a national shutdown to protest the ruling. Hasina, 78, cannot appeal the verdict unless she surrenders or is arrested within 30 days. Bangladesh continues to face instability, political bickering, and human rights concerns since her ouster. Muhammad Yunus, who heads the interim government, hailed the verdict as a triumph for justice, echoing sentiments from Hasina's archrival, Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The verdict has been met with protests, including arson attacks and crude bomb explosions, with two reported deaths.
