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Bangladesh Tribunal Convicts Sheikh Hasina Amid Historic Security Clampdown

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal has convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity during last year's July protests. Her sentencing is still pending as the verdict continues to be read out in court. The conviction comes amid unprecedented security measures in Dhaka, including shoot-at-sight orders targeting arson attacks. Meanwhile, one of the co-accused has become the first state witness in the tribunal's history since its establishment in 2010.

Key Points: Sheikh Hasina Convicted by Bangladesh ICT for July Protests

  • Three-member tribunal convicts former PM and two top aides for protest crimes
  • Prosecutors seek death penalty and asset confiscation for victims
  • Dhaka under shoot-at-sight orders amid Awami League strike violence
  • Former police chief becomes first state witness in tribunal history
2 min read

Bangladesh ICT convicts Sheikh Hasina for crimes against humanity during July protests

Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina convicted for crimes against humanity during July protests. Verdict includes top aides as Dhaka faces unprecedented security lockdown.

"The formal charge documents consist of 8,747 pages, including references, seized evidence, and a comprehensive list of victims - The Dhaka Tribune"

Dhaka, Nov 17

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday convicted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her two top aides on the charges of crimes against humanity related to the demonstrations in July of last year.

The ousted leader's sentencing is awaited as the verdict is still being read out.

The other co-accused are former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.

The verdict was being live broadcast by Bangladesh Television (BTV) from the ICT courtroom, where the three-member Tribunal-1, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, delivered the judgment.

Till now, Hasina has defied the court's orders by refusing to return to the South Asian nation to face trial. Asaduzzaman is currently a fugitive, while Mamun is in custody and has pleaded guilty.

Notably, Mamun has become a state witness, making him the first accused to do so since the tribunal was established in 2010.

The formal charge documents consist of 8,747 pages, including references, seized evidence, and a comprehensive list of victims, reports leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune.

Prosecutors have charged the accused with five counts, including failure to prevent murder, which constitutes crimes against humanity under Bangladeshi law. They are seeking the death penalty if the defendants are found guilty.

Additionally, the prosecutors requested that the tribunal confiscate the assets of the three defendants upon conviction and distribute them to the families of the victims.

Hasina, however, has always denied all the charges.

Meanwhile, Dhaka has been placed under unprecedented security clampdown after Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali on Sunday evening issued a 'shoot-at-sight order' targeting individuals engaged in arson attacks, cocktail explosions or attempts to harm police and civilians ahead of the ICT verdict.

The two-day strike organised by Hasina's Awami League for November 16–17 has coincided with an increase in cocktail explosions and arson incidents throughout the capital.

At least 21 leaders and workers from the Awami League, who are currently prohibited from engaging in political activities, were apprehended during special operations throughout Narayanganj in the last 36 hours, reports leading Bangladeshi newspaper, The Daily Star.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

R
Rohit P
While justice must be served, I'm concerned about the timing and political motivations here. The timing with the strikes and the 'shoot-at-sight' order raises questions about the process being fair and transparent.
S
Sarah B
As an expat living in Delhi, I've seen how political instability in neighboring countries affects regional security. Hope Bangladesh finds stability after this verdict. The violence needs to stop for everyone's sake.
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Arjun K
8,747 pages of evidence! That's massive documentation. Shows how serious the investigation was. Hope this sets a precedent for accountability in South Asian politics. No one should be above the law.
M
Michael C
The shoot-at-sight order is extremely concerning. While maintaining law and order is important, such extreme measures could lead to human rights violations. The focus should be on peaceful resolution.
K
Kavya N
As an Indian, I hope our government monitors the situation closely. Political instability in Bangladesh affects our border states too. Safety of civilians should be the top priority for everyone involved.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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