Sheikh Hasina sentenced to death by Bangladesh court — What are the charges against her? Explained

A Bangladesh court on Monday afternoon sentenced ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in a landmark decision. The special tribunal found Hasina guilty of committing crime against humanity involving the mass uprising last year that killed hundreds of people and put an end to her 15-year regime.

The months-long trial at the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) that concluded on Monday was hearing multiple charges against Sheikh Hasina and two of her aides linked to the mass uprising that saw her abandon her office in August 2024.

Sheikh Hasina is now in India and was tried absentia at the court.

The tribunal found the former Bangladesh PM guilty on all five charges of crimes against humanity, the Dhaka Tribune reported. The historic judgement found Hasina and the two other accused, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, guilty of the charges.

What are the five charges against Sheikh Hasina?

1. Sheikh Hasina faced the charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of hundreds of people during a student-led uprising in July and August of 2024. She was charged with incitement of violence and the killing of Dhaka University students as well as others. The court found her guilty of making statements against the Rajakar sect of the society, portraying them as enemies of Mukti Yodhas.

2. It is also alleged that Sheikh Hasina in a now-surfaced telephonic conversation where she allegedly said “hang the Rajakars.” Making aggressive remarks, she said that the Chhatra League alone was enough to control the situation after which Allied organisations allegedly launched systemic attacks that injured 297 students. She is also accused of giving directions to kill the protesting students and ordering their arrest. On her instructions, agencies deployed helicopters and drones, killing 1,400 people and injuring 2,500 others.

3. When the protesters launched a “March to Dhaka” movement, police shot dead six unarmed people. Sheikh Hasina was accused of having full knowledge about these killings.

4. "Accused Sheikh Hasina committed one count of crimes against humanity by her order to use drones, helicopters and lethal weapons under charge number 2," the special tribunal said, after it heard a recording of conversations preserved in a pen drive.

5. The court found that serious violations of the human rights of the protesters occurred last year, including the killing of Abu Saeed on July 16. It found that indiscriminate firearms were used to suppress peaceful protests.

"All the... elements constituting crimes against humanity have been fulfilled," judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder read to the packed court in Dhaka.

Hasina was "found guilty on three counts", including incitement, order to kill, and inaction to prevent the atrocities, Mozumder said.

"We have decided to inflict her with only one sentence -- that is, sentence of death."

Bangladesh carries out the death sentence by hanging.