The Sheikh Hasina protest crackdown trial officially began Sunday, marking a pivotal moment in Bangladesh’s political history. The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has charged former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with orchestrating a “coordinated, widespread and systematic attack” on protesters during last year’s nationwide uprising, which left up to 1,400 people dead, according to UN estimates.

Hasina, 77, fled to India by helicopter in August 2024 after her 15-year rule was brought to an end by a student-led uprising. She has since remained in exile, with New Delhi defying an extradition request issued by the interim government.

Opening the trial, chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said the crackdown constituted crimes against humanity, including murder, torture, conspiracy, and complicity in mass killings. “Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack,” Islam stated. “The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising.”

The prosecution presented what it described as a vast body of evidence: drone and helicopter flight records, audio transcripts of Hasina’s calls, and survivor testimonies documenting the use of lethal force, including helicopter gunfire on protesters. One cited case involved the killing of student activist Abu Sayeed in Rangpur on July 16, reportedly shot at close range.

Hasina has dismissed the charges as politically motivated. From exile, she maintains that the accusations are part of a campaign to discredit her legacy.

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Also charged are former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, who is in custody but was not present in court, and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who remains at large. The charges include abetment, conspiracy, incitement, and failure to prevent mass atrocities.

Chief prosecutor Islam emphasized the independence of the legal process: “This is not an act of vendetta but a commitment to the principle that, in a democratic country, there is no room for crimes against humanity.”

Political fallout: Awami League banned, Jamaat reinstated

The Awami League, Hasina’s once-dominant political party, was officially banned in May 2025 pending the outcome of the trial. Founded in 1949, the party had governed Bangladesh for much of its post-independence history. The tribunal prosecuting Hasina was originally formed under her own government in 2009 to address 1971 war crimes.

In a parallel political development, the Supreme Court reinstated the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party, on the same day the trial began. The party had been previously outlawed under Hasina’s rule, and many of its leaders were jailed.

In a related move, the ICT opened a separate case on May 25 against eight police officers accused of crimes against humanity during the final days of Hasina’s government. The officers are charged with the killing of six protesters on August 5, the same day Hasina fled the country. 

The trial, broadcast live on state-run Bangladesh Television, comes amid heightened political tension ahead of national elections scheduled for mid-2026.

Read more: Bangladesh to hold all-party talks to foster stability