Sheikh Hasina, associate sentenced to death over 2024 crackdown on youth
INTERNATIONAL – ASIA
18 NOVEMBER 2025
- A special tribunal in Bangladesh sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death, finding them guilty of crimes against humanity during the state crackdown on a student uprising in July-August 2024.
- Former Inspector-General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who turned a state witness and testified before the tribunal against Ms. Hasina and Mr. Khan, was sentenced to five years in prison after he admitted to his involvement in the crackdown of the protests that led to the fall of the Hasina government.
- Reacting to the development, Ms. Hasina said the charges were unjustified, arguing she and Mr. Khan “acted in good faith and were trying to minimise the loss of life”.
- The verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal-1 represents the most dramatic legal action against the Awami League leader and comes just months before the parliamentary election scheduled for February 2026.
- The tribunal also asked the government to provide compensation to the families of the victims and to those injured during the crackdown.
- Attorney-General Md Asaduzzaman said Ms. Hasina, who is now in exile in India, and Mr. Khan, who is also in exile, cannot appeal the ruling as long as they remain fugitives.
- He further said the court had ordered the attachment and confiscation of all properties belonging to Ms. Hasina and Mr. Khan within Bangladesh, and that the state would take all necessary legal measures to implement the verdict.
- The Awami League denounced the ruling. “We reject this illegal and politically motivated verdict of the ‘Kangaroo Court’ against Bangabandhu’s daughter, the leader of the people and the President of the Awami League. “
