Dhaka, Nov 17 — Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death after finding her guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the violent demonstrations in July last year. The tribunal also convicted two of her top aides—former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun.
While Mamun has been pardoned, the court noted that due to the gravity of the offences, he will still face a “lenient sentence.” Mamun, now in custody, pleaded guilty and became a state witness—the first to do so since the tribunal’s establishment in 2010. Asaduzzaman remains a fugitive, and Hasina has repeatedly refused to return to Bangladesh to face trial.
The verdict, spanning 453 pages, was being read out in the ICT courtroom and broadcast live by Bangladesh Television (BTV). The formal case documents run over 8,700 pages, including seized evidence, references, and an extensive list of victims, according to The Dhaka Tribune.
Prosecutors charged the accused with five counts, including failure to prevent murder—an offence considered a crime against humanity under Bangladeshi law. They sought the death penalty for all defendants and requested the confiscation of their assets for distribution to victims’ families.
Meanwhile, Dhaka has been placed under an unprecedented security lockdown. On Sunday evening, DMP Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali issued a “shoot-at-sight” order targeting individuals involved in arson, explosions, or violence ahead of the verdict.
The two-day strike called by the Awami League for November 16–17 coincided with a surge in arson and cocktail explosions across the capital. At least 21 Awami League leaders and workers—currently barred from political activity—were arrested in special operations in Narayanganj over the past 36 hours, The Daily Star reported.
