Bangladesh's Ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Given to Death Penalty

The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her harsh response on youth demonstrations which caused her removal from power.

The court convicted Sheikh Hasina of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, 1,400 of whom were killed during the turmoil in the previous year.

Hasina was tried without her presence by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

The prosecution alleged of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted the entire case, describing the process as "unfair and agenda-driven".

This judgment represents a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over long-standing suppression. Families of those killed and wounded had called for severe punishments.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the capital punishment was the temporary leadership's way of "nullifying [her party] the Awami League" as a electoral entity and that she was content of her government's record on human rights.

"I am not afraid to face my accusers in a proper tribunal where the proof can be evaluated and reviewed impartially."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under tightened security ahead of the ruling on Monday, with numerous opponents of Hasina staging a rally and cheering as the sentence was declared.

Dhaka experienced a sudden increase in disturbances, with dozens of bombs exploded and buses set on fire in the period preceding the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was recorded in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the police spokesperson informed media outlets.

The student-led uprising during 2024 started with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but morphed into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could constitute "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of a number of activists, the deliberate maiming of additional individuals, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Leaked audio of one of Hasina's phone calls verified by media examinations during the current year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the trial.

Ahead of the verdict, family members of those who died in the demonstrations informed media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

One relative, whose brother was shot dead in July 2024, said he wanted "strict sentence" for Hasina and others who have "performed revengeful deeds and exploited their positions".

Lucky Akther, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "carried out before the election".

"Solely at that point the kin of victims [in the protests] will achieve closure in their hearts."

Since Hasina's ousting, an temporary leadership under the guidance of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A national vote is set for February 2026.

Nonetheless, the Hasina's political party, her political faction, was outlawed by Bangladesh's caretaker administration in May.

The former leader cautioned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, countless would abstain the election.

The judgment creates a diplomatic challenge for both nations. Authorities have sought her extradition but to date India has shown no willingness to agree.

The legal representative assigned to her her legal counsel said he was "unhappy and desiring the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my defendants are not present; that's why I am disheartened," he continued.

The previous week, her legal team said they had submitted an immediate petition to the UN pointing out significant due process and due process issues at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her previous domestic affairs official and security forces head.

While the sentence grants partial finality to families of killed in the protests, it may do little to soothe the country's political divisions.

"The fury directed at the former leader and the Awami League has not diminished," a Dhaka-based rights activist stated to news organizations. "The leader and her faction has apologised or shown any remorse for the killings of hundreds of people."

She said "It makes it difficult for the organization to receive endorsement by a majority of people in this country."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not finality for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, due to the crackdown. They are incapable of excusing her."

A journalist, a commentator on the nation's politics, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it particularly hard" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the nation's political landscape again.

This may change if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from Hasina and the previous administration," he stated.