Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by a special tribunal for crimes against humanity related to her alleged role in a violent crackdown on student-led protests in 2024.

The International Crimes Tribunal (ICT‑BD) found Hasina responsible for ordering security forces to suppress protests during July and August 2024, which the United Nations estimates left up to 1,400 people dead, most from gunfire. She was also handed a life sentence for other charges.

Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since being forced from power in August 2024, was tried in absentia. In a statement after the verdict, she called the trial “biased and politically motivated” and described it as a “kangaroo court.”

The interim government has requested India to extradite Hasina, though New Delhi has not indicated it will comply. Ahead of the verdict, Hasina urged her supporters not to fear and vowed that her party, the Awami League, would continue as a political force.

Security across Bangladesh has been increased in anticipation of unrest, and some protests have already broken out following the announcement of the verdict.

The ruling comes at a critical moment as Bangladesh approaches elections in February 2026 and could significantly reshape the country’s political landscape. (ILKHA)