Bangladesh's Ousted Leader Sheikh Hasina Wajed Sentenced to Death

The ex-prime minister of Bangladesh has been sentenced to death for atrocities due to her crackdown on protests led by students which caused her removal from power.

Hasina was declared culpable of allowing lethal force to be used against activists, with approximately 1,400 individuals lost their lives during the disturbances last year.

The trial proceeded while she was absent by the International Crimes Court in Bangladesh, since she went into exile in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being the mastermind of multiple fatalities during the protests. She has refuted all charges, labeling the proceedings as "biased and politically motivated".

The verdict marks a pivotal moment for Bangladesh, as the protests brought forth resentment over long-standing suppression. Next of kin of victims and wounded had demanded tough penalties.

Answering the judgment in a detailed document, Hasina said the death penalty was the temporary leadership's way of "eliminating her political faction" as a political force and that she was proud of her administration's performance on individual freedoms.

"I have no trepidation to confront those accusing me in a fair court where the proof can be evaluated and tested fairly."

Bangladesh's main city, Dhaka, where the court convened, was under increased safeguards ahead of the verdict on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and applauding as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a recent spike in unrest, with numerous incendiary devices set off and coaches ignited in the days leading up to the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was noted in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no victims identified, area law enforcement officer the police spokesperson stated to news organizations.

The protest movement led by students during 2024 started with requests to remove state employment quotas but evolved into a broader opposition campaign.

International human rights monitors declared in an analysis in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could represent "crimes against humanity".

The report documented the firing at close quarters of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and abuse.

Disclosed sound files of a telephone conversation involving Hasina authenticated by media examinations during the current year suggested she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The audio was played in court during the legal process.

Before the decision, kin of those fatally injured in the unrest informed news agencies they wanted strict consequences for Hasina.

A family representative, whose sibling was killed in July 2024, said he wanted "severe penalty" for the former leader and associates who have "committed acts of vengeance and misused their authority".

Another relative, whose husband was killed near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted her penalty to be "implemented before the election".

"Only then the families of those killed [in the protests] will obtain solace in their hearts."

Following her removal, an caretaker administration headed by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus has assumed power. A national vote is set for February 2026.

However, the Awami League, her political faction, was prohibited by Bangladesh's interim government in May.

She alerted in the previous month that if the her faction's nominees were banned from standing in the imminent electoral process, numerous would avoid the ballot.

The verdict now poses a diplomatic challenge for India and Bangladesh. Dhaka has formally requested her return but until now India has demonstrated no inclination to acquiesce.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "sad [and wishes] the decision had been otherwise".

"I even cannot appeal because my represented individuals are away; which is why I am disappointed," he added.

Recently, Hasina's lawyers said they had lodged a prompt application to the UN highlighting serious fair trial and judicial process problems at the ICT.

Hasina was tried alongside her former home minister and top law enforcement officer.

While the sentence grants partial finality to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the state's ideological splits.

"The anger against the former leader and the her political party has not diminished," a civil liberties campaigner in Dhaka informed news organizations. "The leader and her faction has expressed regret or shown any remorse for the deaths of numerous individuals."

She said "This creates challenges for the faction to gain approval by a most citizens in this state."

The advocate continued that the penalty was not closure for the families of those fatally and non-fatally harmed.

"We assist numerous persons who suffered permanent amputations, they are now disabled, as a result of the harsh measures. They will never be able to forgive her."

A journalist, an observer of Bangladeshi affairs, said the "inherent character of the guilty verdict could make it even more difficult" for Awami League to become a normal feature of the country's governance system again.

This might transform if "an expression of regret occurs and a separation from the former leader and the former hierarchy," he stated.