17.11.2025 21:00
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina and Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Kahn have been sentenced to death. The court prosecuted the two for "crimes against humanity" due to the violent incidents that occurred during anti-government protests held last year.
A special court in Bangladesh sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death for "crimes against humanity" related to the violent incidents during anti-government protests held last year.
BLOODSHED IN ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTS
The anti-government protests led by students in Bangladesh last year resulted in violent police intervention and the deaths of hundreds, while former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was tried today for "crimes against humanity" due to these events.
After the escalating violence, the ousted Prime Minister Hasina, who fled to India, was found guilty of murder, attempted murder, torture, and ordering the use of lethal weapons against protesters. The court in the capital Dhaka sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death.
5 YEARS IN PRISON FOR FORMER POLICE CHIEF
The court reported that former police chief Abdullah Al-Mamun received a lighter sentence due to his contributions to the hearing, including "presenting material evidence for the court to reach the correct decision," sentencing Al-Mamun to 5 years in prison.
As the death sentence was announced, brief cheers were heard inside and outside the courtroom. A small group chanted slogans demanding the execution of the defendants. While applause rose in the courtroom, the judges asked those inside to maintain order in the courtroom.
HASINA FOUND BIASED
After the court's decision, Hasina stated in a statement to English and French news agencies, "We lost control of the situation, but it is not possible to characterize what happened as a premeditated attack against citizens. The decisions announced against me were made by a fraudulent court established and run by an unelected government that has no democratic authority. These decisions are biased and politically motivated."
WHAT HAPPENED?
Protests erupted on July 16 in Bangladesh demanding quotas in the public sector for the families of those who participated in the 1971 War of Independence. After student leaders in Bangladesh declared civil disobedience against the government, thousands took to the streets demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. On Monday, August 5, clashes occurred between police and protesters during anti-government protests across the country, and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, unable to withstand the violence any longer, resigned and fled to India. Hours after Hasina's escape, Bangladesh's Chief of Staff Waker-uz-Zaman announced the establishment of a temporary government, confirming Hasina's resignation. It was announced that the temporary government, formed after the parliament was dissolved, would be headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus. The Bangladesh Ministry of Health stated that more than 621 people died as a result of police and security forces' intervention during the student protests held last year, while the United Nations reported that this number was approximately 1,400.