The Show Must Go On: Bangladesh's Trial Against Ex-PM Hasina Rolls On
Trial initiation for ex-Prime Minister Hasina in Bangladesh
Facebook | Twitter | Whatsapp | Email | Print | Copy Link
In the heart of Dhaka, the trial against the charismatic former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, continues in her absence. Prosecutor General Mohammad Tajul Islam announced on a bustling Sunday that Hasina held responsibility for a relentless assault on the populace, as she coordinated police and armed party loyalists to quash public protests. The United Nations reported around 1,400 fatalities in clashes with law enforcement during the protests of the previous year.
The International Crimes Tribunal, stationed in Bangladesh's capital, has launched an investigation into Hasina for her suspected involvement in "aiding, abetting, participating, conspiring, and neglecting to prevent a bloodbath" during the unrest in July 2024, as stated by Prosecutor Islam at the trial's commencement. Several notable figures from Hasina's now-prohibited Awami League faction are also accused.
In August of the preceding year, Hasina, 77, made her hasty escape to India via helicopter after weeks of widespread protests. A military-led transitional government was installed thereafter, with Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus at the helm. Hasina stubbornly defied an arrest warrant issued by Dhaka for the alleged crimes she committed.
Hasina once governed Bangladesh with an iron fist, presiding for an impressive span of 15 years. Her administration faced accusations of human rights abuses, including unlawful detentions and unjustified killings of opposition members.
Background Knowledge:The trial against Hasina is ongoing as of June 2025. The International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka has officially brought charges against Hasina, along with former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, in relation to crimes against humanity and mass murder associated with the government's brutal crackdown on student-led protests in July and August 2024[1][2][4].
In this ongoing trial, the court has taken into consideration the prosecution’s case, which alleges that Hasina issued direct orders for security forces and party affiliates to conduct operations that resulted in widespread casualties. Estimates suggest around 1,400 to 1,500 deaths, with numerous child victims among them[2][3][4]. The prosecution claims that the violence was premeditated, systematic, and designed to suppress opposition, constituting crimes against humanity.
Currently, Mamun is in police custody, while Hasina and Kamal are thought to be residing abroad, possibly in India. The tribunal has mandated investigators to present all three accused before the court on June 16. However, it remains uncertain if Hasina will attend[1][4]. Bangladesh has submitted a formal extradition request for Hasina from India[4].
Compared to previous trials of this magnitude, this trial sets a precedent in Bangladesh as it is being broadcast live on television—the first time a high-profile trial has been televised in the country[1][4]. If found guilty, Hasina and her accomplices face the possibility of capital punishment under Bangladeshi law.
In the context of the current crisis, the Commission has decided to extend the period of validity of the programme to cover the following areas: politics, general-news, war-and-conflicts, and crime-and-justice, given the ongoing trial against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the alleged human rights abuses committed during her tenure. The trial, which is being broadcast live on television for the first time in Bangladesh, may result in capital punishment if the defendants are found guilty.
