Bangladesh’s former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina masterminded a deadly crackdown on mass protests that prompted her ouster final 12 months, prosecutors at a home struggle crimes tribunal stated on Monday (May 12, 2025).
Up to 1,400 folks died in July 2024 when Ms. Hasina’s authorities launched a brutal marketing campaign to silence the opposition, in accordance with the United Nations.
Ms. Hasina lives in self-imposed exile in India, the place she fled by helicopter, and has defied an arrest warrant from Dhaka over expenses of crimes towards humanity.
“The investigation team has found Sheikh Hasina culpable in at least five charges,” Mohammad Tajul Islam, chief prosecutor at Bangladesh’s home International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), instructed reporters.
“They have brought charges of abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising.”
Tajul Islam stated the prosecution had submitted its first report back to be offered on the court docket set to attempt Hasina and two of her aides — former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Abdullah Al Mamun.
“Sheikh Hasina directly ordered law enforcement agencies and auxiliary forces aligned with her party to kill and maim, and to burn corpses and even people who were still alive at certain points,” he added.
The ICT was arrange in 2009 by Hasina to analyze crimes dedicated by the Pakistani military throughout Bangladesh’s struggle for independence in 1971.
Investigators have collected video footage, audio clips, Ms. Hasina’s telephone conversations, information of helicopter and drone actions in addition to statements from victims of the crackdown as a part of their probe.
Bangladesh’s interim authorities on Saturday banned Ms. Hasina’s get together, the Awami League, pending the result of the trial.
The choice was taken to make sure the nation’s “sovereignty and security” in addition to the protection of the protesters, plaintiffs and witnesses of the tribunal, Asif Nazrul, a authorities advisor on legislation and justice, instructed reporters.
Bangladesh has requested India to extradite her however has not but acquired a response.
Published – May 12, 2025 11:05 pm IST
