Violent Unrest Grips Bangladesh Ahead of High‑Profile Hasina Verdict

Violent unrest spreads across Bangladesh as verdict looms

Violent unrest spread across Bangladesh after the former ruling party, the Awami League, called a nationwide "lockdown" to protest an impending verdict in the trial of ex‑prime minister Sheikh Hasina. The demonstrations came as the International Crimes Tribunal in Dhaka prepared to hand down its ruling on Monday in a case that has drawn intense national and international attention.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam said the court is due to deliver its decision on Monday and warned that public demonstrations would not influence the outcome. He reiterated the tribunal's pledge to hold alleged perpetrators accountable regardless of their rank or power.

Tajul Islam: No street agitation will have any impact on the verdict. If anyone commits a crime in Bangladesh, no matter who they are or how powerful they are, they will be brought to justice.

Hasina, who has been living in exile in India since her ouster in August last year, is accused of crimes against humanity over the brutal suppression of the 2024 protests. The United Nations estimates the crackdown left about 1,400 people dead. During the trial’s closing arguments last month, prosecutors sought the death penalty; Hasina is being tried in absentia.

The Awami League has denounced the proceedings as a "kangaroo court" established by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, and the party has been banned by interim authorities. In response to the unrest, authorities deployed additional security forces across Dhaka and surrounding districts after reports of sporadic crude-bomb attacks and vehicle arson linked to the protests.

The verdict, expected Monday, risks further escalating tensions in a country already polarized by the political crisis, and observers say the outcome could have far‑reaching implications for Bangladesh’s political stability and international relations.