Bangladesh’s ousted prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, was sentenced to death in absentia on Monday following a months-long trial that found her guilty of ordering a deadly crackdown on last year’s student-led uprising.
The verdict, delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal, sparked cheers and applause inside the packed courtroom, while some supporters outside fell to their knees in prayer. It is the harshest ruling ever issued against a national leader in Bangladesh’s history.
Hasina, 78, who fled to India in August 2024 amid the protests, dismissed the ruling as coming from a “rigged tribunal” and accused the interim government of attempting to erase her Awami League from politics.
The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, welcomed the decision as “historic” but urged the public to remain calm, warning that disorder would be dealt with strictly.
Following the verdict, Bangladesh asked India to extradite Hasina and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who was also sentenced to death. India said it would “engage constructively” but stopped short of commenting on extradition.
Security was ramped up nationwide, and clashes erupted between police and protesters demanding the demolition of what remains of the house belonging to Hasina’s father in Dhaka.
Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder said Hasina was convicted on three counts of incitement, order of killings, and the failure to prevent atrocities.
A UN report estimated up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured during the protests between July 15 and August 5, described as the worst political violence since Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war.
The ruling comes ahead of elections in February. Hasina’s son has warned of potential unrest if the ban on the Awami League participating is not lifted.
Bangladesh’s key garment export industry—a major supplier to global brands—suffered significant disruption during last year’s unrest.
