Legal authorities in Bangladesh have formally requested the death penalty for Sheikh Hasina, the country’s former Prime Minister, in connection with a violent suppression of protests that ultimately forced her from office.
Hasina, currently in exile in India, faces trial on charges of crimes against humanity. Leaked audio recordings allegedly captured her directing security forces to deploy “lethal weapons” against demonstrators. The former leader has rejected all accusations against her.
The weeks of civil unrest that brought down Hasina’s 15-year administration claimed as many as 1,400 lives, representing Bangladesh’s most violent period since gaining independence in 1971.
Lead prosecutor Tajul Islam stated that Hasina merits 1,400 death sentences, one for each victim. “Given the impossibility of such an outcome, we request no fewer than one,” he declared.
During Thursday’s court proceedings, Islam characterized Hasina’s actions as driven by an obsession to maintain perpetual control for herself and her relatives.
“She has evolved into a hardened offender displaying zero regret for the atrocities carried out under her watch,” the prosecutor told the tribunal.
The demonstrations began in July 2024, initially opposing government job reservation policies favoring descendants of independence war veterans. The movement rapidly transformed into a widespread campaign demanding Hasina’s removal.
The most severe violence occurred on August 5, when Hasina escaped by helicopter just before protesters overran her official residence in Dhaka, according to BBC reporting.
Law enforcement killed no fewer than 52 individuals that day in one densely populated Dhaka district—marking it as among the gravest instances of police brutality in the nation’s history.
Hasina’s court-appointed attorney contends that police fired only after facing aggressive conduct from demonstrators.
The former Prime Minister stands trial alongside Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, her previous interior minister, and Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, the former police commissioner.
Prosecutors are also seeking capital punishment for Kamal, who remains at large. Chowdhury entered a guilty plea in July but awaits sentencing.
Hasina has already received a six-month imprisonment term for contempt of court and confronts additional corruption allegations.
Bangladesh’s upcoming elections are scheduled for February, with the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP)—Hasina’s longtime opposition—positioned as the leading contender. Her Awami League party has been prohibited from all political operations, including electoral participation.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.
