NEW DELHI: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal will deliver its verdict on Monday in the case against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faces five counts of crimes against humanity charges linked to last year’s deadly student-led uprising in Dhaka.
Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for the deposed leader, now in India, accusing her of ordering lethal force against protesters in what became known as the July uprising.
The crackdown, which triggered her downfall and flight across the border, left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-inspector general of police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who were the key figures in Hasina’s Awami League government, were also charged.
Both Hasina and Kamal were tried in absentia after being declared fugitives. Al-Mamun later turned approver. According to a UN report in February, as many as 1,400 people may have been killed in the Dhaka unrest, while the government’s own figures cite over 800 deaths and 14,000 injuries.
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam has already demanded the death penalty for the former Prime Minister.
The prosecution alleges Hasina and her aides deliberately incited violence, ordering police and armed Awami League supporters to use deadly weapons against demonstrators. The charges include murder, torture, extermination, and other inhumane acts under international law.
The tribunal concluded its 28-day hearing on October 23, during which 54 witnesses testified. Judges will now determine whether Hasina and her co-accused orchestrated a systematic campaign of state violence against civilians.
Meanwhile, tensions have soared across Bangladesh ahead of the verdict. The Awami League has called a nationwide shutdown, leading to transport chaos and widespread school closures. Sporadic explosions and arson attacks have been reported in several districts. Authorities have imposed heightened security measures in Dhaka, deploying army troops around the ICT complex and sealing off major roads in anticipation of unrest. And by all means, the ruling on Monday is expected to be one of the most consequential in Bangladesh’s history.