Bangladesh Remains Calm After Tribunal Sentences Ousted PM Sheikh Hasina to Death in Absentia

Dhaka and major cities stay calm after landmark tribunal ruling

Dhaka and other major Bangladeshi cities remained largely peaceful on Tuesday despite the International Crimes Tribunal's decision to sentence former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death in absentia for their roles in last year's deadly crackdown on student protests.

Verdict and sentences

The tribunal on Monday convicted Hasina, 78, on five counts of crimes against humanity and handed her a death sentence in absentia. The court likewise sentenced former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death. In a separate finding, Hasina was given imprisonment until natural death for allegedly making inflammatory remarks and for ordering the use of helicopters, drones and lethal weapons against demonstrators. A former police chief pleaded guilty, became a state witness and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Scenes on the ground

Hasina's Awami League denounced the proceedings as a "kangaroo court" and called for a nationwide shutdown. There were clashes between her supporters and security forces late Monday, and local media reported attempts to damage the family home of independence leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and vandalism in Kishoreganj district. Despite the unrest, most shops, schools and services were open Tuesday and major urban areas showed no sign of a full shutdown.

"Those who ruled the country before shaped the law in their own way, and those who are ruling now are also shaping the law in their own way," said Dhaka businessman Mohammad Saikot Hossain, who expressed concern about the rule of law and his children's future.

Background and casualties

The unrest followed a widespread student-led protest movement in July and August 2024 against a quota system for government jobs. Bangladesh's interim government reported more than 800 people killed and about 14,000 injured during the unrest; the United Nations later estimated the death toll could be as high as roughly 1,400. The protests led to the collapse of Hasina's 15-year rule on Aug. 5, 2024, and she and Khan fled to India, which has declined extradition requests.

Legal and international reactions

Under tribunal rules, Hasina can only appeal if she surrenders or is arrested within 30 days of the sentence. Both Hasina and Khan declined to appoint private defense counsel and rejected a state-appointed lawyer for the tribunal.

The United Nations described the sentencing as "an important moment for victims" of abuses during the protest suppression. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, however, raised serious concerns about the fairness of the proceedings, citing problems with witness testimony, defense access and the conduct of state-appointed defense counsel. HRW's Meenakshi Ganguly emphasized that accountability must follow impartial investigations and credible trials, while Amnesty's Agnès Callamard called the process "neither fair nor just" and warned against further human-rights violations.

Political outlook

The sentencing comes as Bangladesh navigates a fragile transition under an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, who assumed power three days after Hasina's ouster. National elections are planned for February, though exact dates have not been announced.

AP video journalist Al Emrun Garjon contributed to this report.