Bangladesh's Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajed Given to Death Penalty

The country's previous leader has been given a death sentence for crimes against humanity over her harsh response on youth demonstrations which resulted in her ousting.

Hasina was declared culpable of permitting fatal actions to be used against activists, among whom around 1,400 people lost their lives during the turmoil during 2024.

The trial proceeded without her presence by the special international tribunal in Bangladesh, having been exiled in India since she was forced from power in July 2024.

Prosecutors accused her of being behind numerous deaths during the protests. She has refuted all charges, calling the trial as "biased and politically motivated".

The decision signifies a critical juncture for Bangladesh, as the protests revealed fury over extended periods of oppression. Relatives of the deceased and harmed had demanded tough penalties.

Responding to the decision in a comprehensive declaration, Hasina said the capital punishment was the interim government's way of "eradicating the Awami League" as a political force and that she was proud of her administration's performance on civil liberties.

"I am not afraid to meet my challengers in a just legal forum where the facts can be assessed and tested fairly."

The nation's capital, Dhaka, where the legal proceedings occurred, was under increased safeguards prior to the ruling on Monday, with many of Hasina's critics organizing a demonstration and cheering as the verdict was read.

The city has seen a sudden increase in unrest, with dozens of bombs exploded and coaches ignited in the time before the verdict.

At least one bomb explosion was reported in Dhaka on Monday morning, with no casualties reported, local police official the authorities' representative stated to media outlets.

The protest movement led by students last year started with calls to eliminate public sector reservation policies but transformed into a broader opposition campaign.

UN human rights investigators stated in a document in February that the around 1,400 fatalities could amount to "crimes against humanity".

The study recorded the gunfire from minimal distance of some protesters, the purposeful disabling of others, arbitrary arrests and mistreatment.

Disclosed sound files of a call made by the former leader verified by investigative sources earlier this year implied she had approved the use of "deadly arms" in July 2024. The recording was presented in court during the trial.

Prior to the ruling, relatives of those fatally injured in the unrest told media representatives they wanted Hasina to be punished severely.

A family representative, whose family member was fatally wounded in July 2024, said he wanted "exemplary punishment" for Hasina and others who have "committed acts of vengeance and abused their power".

A different family member, whose spouse died near Dhaka in August 2024, said she wanted Hasina's sentence to be "carried out before the election".

"Only then the relatives of the deceased [in the protests] will achieve closure in their souls."

Following her removal, an interim government led by economist Muhammad Yunus has assumed control. A general election is planned for February 2026.

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

Hasina warned during the past month that if the the League's representatives were barred from participating in the upcoming election, countless would abstain the vote.

The judgment creates a foreign relations issue for both nations. Authorities have sought her repatriation but so far India has expressed no readiness to agree.

Hasina's state-appointed lawyer Mohammad Amir Hossain said he was "disappointed and hoping the decision had been otherwise".

"I cannot even contest because my represented individuals are away; for that reason I am disheartened," he added.

Last week, the defense attorneys said they had filed an urgent appeal to the UN raising significant due process and legal procedure concerns at the ICT.

The former leader faced trial in conjunction with her ex-interior minister and police chief.

While the sentence offers some closure to relatives of the deceased in the protests, it may not significantly ease the nation's partisan rifts.

"The fury directed at Hasina and the Awami League has not diminished," a human rights advocate from the capital informed news organizations. "The leader and her faction has apologised or demonstrated contrition for the fatalities of countless citizens."

She said "It makes it difficult for the faction to gain approval by a majority of people in this nation."

The advocate continued that the sentence was not finality for the kin of those who died and were wounded.

"We assist multiple individuals who suffered permanent amputations, they are currently without limbs, as a result of the harsh measures. They are incapable of excusing her."

David Bergman, a journalist and a long-time Bangladesh watcher, said the "very nature of the conviction could make it particularly hard" for the political faction to become a normal feature of Bangladeshi politics again.

This might transform if "a form of contrition emerges and a separation from Hasina and the former hierarchy," he expressed.