Bangladesh, Nov 17 : Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) will on Monday deliver its judgment in the high-profile Sheikh Hasina trial, with the former prime minister being tried in absentia on allegations of committing crimes against humanity during last year’s massive student led uprising that toppled her Awami League government.
The tribunal is scheduled to convene at 11 am, where it will also announce verdicts against two senior former officials: ex–home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for all three.
Five Major Charges
Prosecutors allege that Hasina and her top aides were responsible directly or indirectly for killings, attempted killings, torture and widespread abuses during the peak of the 2024 unrest. One of the gravest accusations claims Hasina authorised the use of lethal force on unarmed demonstrators in Dhaka and surrounding districts.
Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has labelled Hasina the “architect” of the state’s crackdown, while her supporters insist the case is politically motivated.
Hasina and Kamal were declared absconders earlier, prompting the court to proceed without them. Mamun appeared initially but later turned prosecution witness.
How the July Uprising Brought Down Hasina
The case stems from the 2024 student-led revolt one of Bangladesh’s largest protests in decades. A UN human rights office report estimated that around 1,400 people were killed between mid-July and mid-August in what became known as the July Uprising.
The unrest intensified into early August, forcing Hasina to resign on August 5, 2024. The tribunal later heard testimony from 54 witnesses over 28 working days before closing arguments on October 23.
Hasina in India as Extradition Request Awaits Response
Hasina fled Bangladesh on the day her government collapsed and has since stayed in India. Former minister Kamal is also believed to be there. The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has formally requested India to extradite her, but New Delhi has not yet responded.
In recent interviews, Hasina has dismissed the court as a politically driven “kangaroo tribunal.”
Dhaka Under Heavy Security Ahead of Verdict
Dhaka has been placed under a tight security lockdown. The city’s police chief has authorised officers to open fire on anyone involved in arson, bomb attacks or violence linked to the verdict. Army, Border Guard Bangladesh and riot control forces have been deployed around the tribunal. Streets across the capital were largely deserted on Sunday evening.
The dissolved Awami League earlier announced a two-day shutdown in anticipation of the ruling.
A Tribunal Born for 1971 War Crimes Now Trying a Former PM
The ICT-BD was originally established to prosecute collaborators from the 1971 Liberation War. Under the Yunus-led interim government, amendments expanded its jurisdiction to include members of the previous administration, including Hasina.
Several senior Awami League leaders are currently detained or in hiding as investigations widen.