Bangladesh Ex-PM Sheikh Hasina gets death sentence for crimes against humanity

Dhaka (The Uttam Hindu) : Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka for her role in crimes against humanity during the student-led uprising in July-August 2024. The tribunal found Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal guilty of orchestrating the deadly crackdown, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,400 people. Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since August 2024, was tried in absentia. The court deemed her and Kamal the masterminds behind the violence, citing evidence of her direct orders to use lethal force against protesters. The verdict has sparked tensions in Bangladesh, with security heightened nationwide.

While delivering the verdict, the court referred to video evidence which accused Hasina of ordering targeted killings, firing on civilians and ordering helicopters and drones to target them during the July-August protests. The court said in its verdict that the evidence also shows that Hasina had removed several journalists, politicians and activists from their posts for criticizing the government. Bangladesh's ICT, while delivering the verdict against the ousted Awami League leader on alleged crimes against humanity, said that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina deserves the maximum punishment for crimes against humanity.

Violence is expected in Bangladesh today in response to the sentencing of Sheikh Hasina. A police spokesman said additional troops have been deployed in sensitive areas and patrol teams are on standby. It's worth noting that nearly 40 incidents of arson (mostly targeting buses) and dozens of bomb blasts have occurred across the country over the past week, resulting in two deaths.