Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal over last year's violent suppression of student protests that killed more than 1,400 people. Hasina denies responsibility and is now in India. Her long rule combined notable economic gains — a GDP near $430bn and rapid export growth — with widespread accusations of rights abuses and institutional capture. Observers warn that bans on the Awami League and punitive measures risk repeating a cycle of retribution unless Bangladesh commits to inclusive, non-vindictive reforms.
Bangladesh’s Turning Point: Hasina Sentenced to Death in Absentia — Will the Country Break the Cycle of Retribution?
Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal over last year's violent suppression of student protests that killed more than 1,400 people. Hasina denies responsibility and is now in India. Her long rule combined notable economic gains — a GDP near $430bn and rapid export growth — with widespread accusations of rights abuses and institutional capture. Observers warn that bans on the Awami League and punitive measures risk repeating a cycle of retribution unless Bangladesh commits to inclusive, non-vindictive reforms.
06:04 PM, 11/19/2025Politics
Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh's former prime minister, has been convicted and sentenced to death in absentia by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) for her government's brutal suppression of student-led protests last year. The protests in July–August resulted in more than 1,400 deaths, many reportedly execution-style. Hasina, now in India after fleeing following her ouster in August 2024, acknowledges the loss of life but denies ordering the killings and calls the verdict politically motivated.
From architect of the ICT to convicted defendant
The ICT was originally established in 2010 to prosecute people accused of collaborating with Pakistan during the 1971 liberation war. That the same tribunal has now convicted Hasina underscores the ironies and complexities of Bangladesh's recent political trajectory.
Accusations of institutional abuse
For more than a decade, critics and human rights groups accused Hasina's administration of using state institutions—including courts, security forces and investigative bodies—to silence and punish opponents. High-profile examples cited by rights organizations include thousands of enforced disappearances and hundreds of alleged extrajudicial killings. Between 2009 and 2022, human rights groups documented at least 2,597 alleged extrajudicial deaths linked to security operations.
The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), an elite police unit, was sanctioned by the United States in 2021 over allegations of enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Independent monitors and civil society groups, such as Odhikar, faced legal pressure and arrests after criticizing official practices. Photographers, activists and opposition figures were also targeted at various points during Hasina's tenure.
What triggered the collapse
When protests over government job quotas erupted last July, the administration responded with overwhelming force rather than negotiation, deploying riot police and, according to media reports, authorizing the use of drones, helicopters and lethal weapons. The resulting crackdown and mass arrests broadened the movement, ultimately contributing to Hasina's ouster.
Achievements amid controversy
Hasina's record is mixed. She is credited with stabilizing security challenges and overseeing sustained economic growth: Bangladesh's GDP rose to around $430 billion, the country became the world's second-largest garment exporter after China, and millions were lifted out of poverty. By some measures Bangladesh's per-capita income approached or exceeded that of neighbouring countries.
Yet economic gains were accompanied by serious democratic backsliding in the eyes of many observers: restrictions on independent media, arrests of opposition figures, and electoral processes whose credibility was repeatedly questioned. The main opposition, the BNP, boycotted the 2014 election and again refused to participate in the 2024 vote amid arrests and candidate disqualifications.
Retribution, bans and the risk of repeating mistakes
After Hasina fled, the interim government took decisive steps that critics say risk continuing a cycle of retribution rather than fostering reconciliation. The student wing of Hasina's party was banned and labelled a 'terrorist organisation,' and in May the interim authorities moved to bar the Awami League from political activity, which would prevent the party from contesting the scheduled national election in February 2026.
Blocking a major political party from participation is a major setback for democratic inclusion for millions of citizens who still back the Awami League. Observers warn that punitive measures against political movements replicate earlier mistakes and deepen polarisation rather than creating a durable, rights-respecting democracy.
What comes next
Convicting Hasina is an important step toward accountability for victims of the crackdown. But meaningful progress will require more than prosecutions: rebuilding independent institutions, ensuring impartial courts, protecting free media and guaranteeing inclusive political participation are essential. For Bangladesh to move beyond this era of trauma, its leaders must choose reconciliation and institution-building over vindictiveness and exclusion.
Analyst note: As one analyst observed, transforming a country's secular or developmental project into a vehicle for control corrodes its moral authority. Restoring trust will demand transparent justice, systemic reforms and space for political pluralism.