Ousted Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia by an international crimes tribunal in Dhaka. The court found her guilty of crimes against humanity committed during a violent crackdown on a student-led uprising in 2024.

A three-judge panel convicted Hasina of incitement, issuing deadly orders, and failing to prevent atrocities. “The accused prime minister committed crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters, and lethal weapons,” said Justice Golam Mortuza Mozumder during the verdict’s announcement.

Hasina, who has lived in exile in India since August 2024, denied the charges and described the proceedings as a “politically motivated charade.”

"The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate," Hasina said in a statement issued from India.

Hasina, tried in absentia, remains in exile in India

Hasina was tried alongside former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, who also received a death sentence. Her former police chief, Chowdhury Abdullah al-Mamun, pleaded guilty and turned state's witness. Judges said Mamun’s crimes warranted capital punishment but granted leniency due to his cooperation.

The tribunal proceedings, broadcast live for transparency, presented evidence including audio recordings and eyewitness testimony. Among the most cited incidents was the killing of university student Abu Sayeed, captured on video and widely circulated online. His death became a rallying point for protesters.

The interim government, led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, defended the trial’s fairness. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam led the case, which marked a central pledge of the post-Hasina administration.

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UN says 1,400 killed in student-led ‘July revolution’

The protests that led to Hasina’s ouster began in mid-2024 and are now widely referred to as the “July revolution.” Initially organized by student groups, the movement expanded into a nationwide uprising against Hasina’s 15-year rule.

The UN human rights office estimates that up to 1,400 people were killed during the unrest, which included documented instances of live fire on civilians. Human rights groups previously accused Hasina’s government of widespread abuses, including enforced disappearances, torture, and repression.

In the days leading up to the verdict, Dhaka witnessed renewed unrest, including explosions of crude bombs and arson attacks. Security forces cordoned off the court complex and issued shoot-on-sight orders in response to escalating violence.

Families of victims express relief after tribunal verdict

For many relatives of the victims, the verdict brought a sense of justice. Golam Rahman, whose son Golam Nafis was killed during the protests, said, “We buried a boy, not an enemy of the state. The death sentence is the only acceptable verdict for what was done to my child.”

Images of Nafis, including one of him bleeding in a rickshaw on the way to the hospital, became symbolic of the uprising and were later stenciled as graffiti throughout Dhaka.

Rahman added, “Let no government think it can turn its guns on children and walk away.”

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Awami League banned as Bangladesh prepares for election

Bangladesh is now preparing for its first national election since Hasina’s removal, scheduled for February. Her Awami League party has been banned from contesting, with most of its leadership either jailed or in hiding abroad.

Hasina’s son, Sajeeb Wazed, responded to the verdict by telling Reuters that his mother remains “safe” in Delhi but is determined to fight back. “She’s upset, angry, outraged. And we are all determined to fight back by whatever means necessary,” he said.