On the 17th, the Bangladesh International Crimes Tribunal found former Prime Minister Hasina guilty of crimes committed during the nationwide protests in 2024, and sentenced her to death in absentia.
The court ruled Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity, including incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent atrocities.
Bangladeshi prosecutors stated that under Bangladeshi law, Hasina cannot exercise her right to appeal while on the run.
78-year-old Hasina refused to appear in court even after being ordered by the court to return to the country to stand trial.
After the verdict, Hasina issued a statement saying that the court’s judgment against her was “biased and politically motivated.”
Hasina first became Bangladesh’s prime minister in 1996 and lost to Zia in 2001. Both were imprisoned for corruption after the 2007 coup. In 2008, Hasina returned to power, leading Bangladesh’s garment export-dependent economy to significant growth.
On August 4, 2024, a nationwide protest broke out in Bangladesh. Hasina resigned the next day. According to local media reports, after resigning, Hasina took a plane to India and has remained there since.
According to United Nations statistics, between July and August 2024, student-led protests resulted in as many as 1,400 deaths.