Trial commences for former Bangladeshi leader, accused of crimes against humanity: Accountability pursuit for alleged wrongdoings
Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, will stand trial on August 3rd for crimes against humanity, including charges of order, incitement, complicity, conspiracy, and abetment of murder, torture, and other inhuman acts. The trial, which began at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), is taking place in her absence as she fled the country on August 5, 2024, and is currently residing in India.
The prosecution, led by Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam, has described Hasina as the "nucleus of all crimes" and called for the maximum penalty. The charges stem from the violent suppression of the 2024 student-led protests, known as the July Revolution, during which more than 1,400 men, women, and children were killed.
The prosecution plans to present direct evidence such as Hasina’s own statements, audio recordings, and testimony from injured protesters and eyewitnesses. Key pieces of evidence include a transcribed phone call in which Hasina allegedly directed law enforcement to open fire on protesters and ordered mass arrests.
Two of Hasina’s top aides, former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal (also tried in absentia) and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullaah Al Mamun (in custody and cooperating as a state witness), are co-accused in the case. The prosecution will present 11 emblematic incidents demonstrating that the attacks were widespread, systematic, and planned with command responsibility at the highest level.
Hasina denies all charges, with her government minister, Mohammad Arafat, calling the trial a "political show trial". The trial's outcome has been questioned by Human Rights Watch, with concerns about its fairness and political motivation.
The trial will be held before three judges of Bangladesh's international crimes tribunal and will be live streamed on television, except for moments where sensitive witnesses are testifying. The first elections since the fall of Hasina are due in February, with the Bangladesh Nationalist party and Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami expected to do well, raising concerns about the rise of Islamic hardliners undermining the country's secular foundations.
Investigators are still working on bringing Hasina to trial for other atrocities allegedly committed during her 15 years in power. Meanwhile, Rakib Hossain, a victim of the July Revolution, was killed by a bullet to the head, allegedly by the police in Dhaka. Despite this, Hasina has refused to return for the trial, currently residing in India.
References:
- BBC News. (2025). Sheikh Hasina trial begins in Bangladesh. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-54762829
- Al Jazeera. (2025). Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina goes on trial over 2024 student protests. [online] Available at: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/8/3/bangladesh-sheikh-hasina-goes-on-trial-over-2024-student-protests
- The Guardian. (2025). Bangladesh: Sheikh Hasina trial begins amid questions over fairness. [online] Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/03/bangladesh-sheikh-hasina-trial-begins-amid-questions-over-fairness
- The Diplomat. (2025). Bangladesh’s Sheikh Hasina Goes on Trial for Crimes Against Humanity. [online] Available at: https://thediplomat.com/2025/08/bangladeshs-sheikh-hasina-goes-on-trial-for-crimes-against-humanity/
- Human Rights Watch. (2025). Bangladesh: Fair Trial for Sheikh Hasina Unlikely. [online] Available at: https://www.hrw.org/news/2025/08/03/bangladesh-fair-trial-sheikh-hasina-unlikely
- Amid ongoing concerns about the trial's political motivation, the trial for Sheikh Hasina, the former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, will be followed closely by general news outlets, as it decides whether her actions during the 2024 student-led protests constitute crimes against humanity.
- In addition to political news, crime-and-justice reporters may also focus on the trial's consequences for Bangladesh's future, as the outcome could have implications for the country's democratic system, human rights, and overall political landscape, given the widespread allegations of command responsibility at the highest levels.
