Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally charged with crimes against humanity, marking a dramatic turn in the country’s political landscape less than a year after her ouster during a violent mass uprising.
According to the Dhaka Tribune, the charges were filed on Sunday by prosecutors at Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), which began trial proceedings against Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and ex-Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Mamun.
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told the court the accused orchestrated a “systematic and coordinated attack” to suppress anti-government protests in July 2024. “Law enforcement agencies and armed ruling party members were used to crush the uprising,” he said, as quoted by AFP.
Hasina’s 16-year rule with the Awami League ended on August 5, 2024, after nationwide unrest, resulting in over 1,400 deaths, according to a UN Human Rights fact-finding mission.
Currently residing in India, the 77-year-old leader faces multiple legal cases, including allegations of mass murder, enforced disappearances, and abuse of power. She has rejected all charges as politically motivated.
In a landmark move, the tribunal allowed state-run BTV to broadcast the hearing, reflecting public interest and international scrutiny. Evidence reportedly includes video footage, intercepted calls, drone surveillance, and eyewitness testimonies.
Ironically, the ICT was originally established by Hasina’s government in 2009 to try perpetrators of war crimes committed by the Pakistani army during the 1971 Liberation War.
Prosecutors charged the three with abetment, incitement, complicity, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass killings. Islam emphasized the trial reflects “a commitment to democratic accountability—not political revenge.”
