The ruling, delivered amid tight security in Dhaka, marks a dramatic reckoning for the long-ruling Awami League leader, who has been living in exile in India since August 2024.
Hasina, tried in absentia, was convicted on two key charges of inciting and ordering murders during the July 2024 uprising, which claimed over 1,400 lives according to UN estimates.
The tribunal, established by Hasina herself in 2010 to probe 1971 Liberation War atrocities, turned the tables on its founder. Judges found her guilty of crimes against humanity, including orchestrating attacks on unarmed civilians using lethal weapons, helicopters, and drones.
"This is justice for the victims of the July Revolution," proclaimed Attorney General Mohammad Asaduzzaman, emphasizing that the nation had finally held its former leader accountable.
The court also slapped death sentences on ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal for the killing of 12 protesters, while former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun received a lighter five-year term after turning state witness and providing damning testimony.
Crowds erupted in cheers outside the Dhaka courtroom as the 453-page judgment was read, with slogans demanding swift execution echoing through the streets. However, the celebrations were tempered by clashes: Protesters armed with bulldozers attempted to raze Hasina's family home in Dhanmondi 32 – the site of her father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's historic residence – leading to baton charges and stun grenades from security forces. At least several injuries were reported, and Dhaka's usually bustling avenues were eerily deserted under a heavy military lockdown.
Hasina, 77, vehemently denounced the verdict as "biased and politically motivated," labeling it a product of an "unelected" interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. In statements to Reuters and the BBC, she admitted the protests spiraled out of control but denied premeditated assaults, calling the trial a "farce" and "kangaroo court." Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, assured supporters from India that she remains safe under tight security, vowing the Awami League – Bangladesh's largest opposition force – would not accept the outcome quietly. The party has already called for a nationwide shutdown on November 18, heightening fears of renewed unrest.
The convictions stem from five charges, including the brutal murders of student activist Abu Sayed on July 16, 2024, and six unarmed protesters in Chankharpul on August 5. Evidence included leaked phone calls, police firing videos from hotspots like Jatrabari and Rampura, and Al-Mamun's confession of daily conspiratorial meetings at Hasina's residence. The tribunal ordered the seizure of Hasina and Khan's properties in Bangladesh and mandated compensation for victims' families, underscoring the gravity of offenses defined under international law as systematic attacks on civilians – prosecutable anytime, anywhere.
Legal avenues remain narrow: Appeals must be filed within 30 days to Bangladesh's Supreme Court, but only if the convicts return in person – a stipulation Hasina has ignored. Presidential clemency is the last resort if upheld. Former US Ambassador James Moriarty hailed the ruling as "huge," predicting it could dismantle Awami League's 15-year grip on power, though he warned of potential violence amid the country's "bloodlust."
As Bangladesh gears up for elections intertwined with a referendum on the "July Charter" – Yunus's blueprint for democratic reforms, anti-corruption measures, and minority protections – today's verdict amplifies calls for free and fair polls. With Awami League protests clashing against BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami rallies, the nation teeters on a knife-edge. Will this bring closure to the 2024 carnage, or ignite fresh divisions? Only time – and the streets – will tell.
