Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death after being found guilty of committing “crimes against humanity” during the student uprising in 2024.
In the verdict read by Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder, Hasina was “found guilty on three counts,” which include incitement of violence, order killing and failing to take any action to prevent atrocities.
The interim government, headed by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, hailed the verdict, saying the court’s decision reflects that no one is above the law.
Responding to the verdict, Hasina continued to deny all charges against her and called the verdict “rigged” and “politically motivated”.
Since her ousting during the mass uprising in 2024, Hasina has been living in exile in India.
With the recent court’s decision, what will happen next to the former prime minister, and what does this mean for Bangladesh’s future?
Next step after the verdict
Following the death sentence, Bangladesh urged India to immediately extradite Hasina and her former interior minister, Asaduzzaman Khan, who was also sentenced to death.
“It would be a grave unfriendly act and a contempt of justice for any other country to grant asylum to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity,” the Foreign Ministry said.
In the hours after the decision was announced, India stated that it had noted the judgment and would continue engaging constructively with all relevant stakeholders in pursuit of peace, democratic values, and stability in the neighbouring nation.
It offered no response to Dhaka’s call for extradition.
As many await extradition, the first point of action is the confiscation of Hasina’s properties by the state.
Hasina could also appeal the verdict before the Supreme Court within 30 days, but this could only happen if she was arrested or if she voluntarily surrendered to Bangladeshi authorities.
If the former prime minister chooses to ignore the summons against her, the government could label her as a fugitive, absconder or offender.
If the court classified Hasina as a fugitive, it would enable the government to move towards seizing her assets and invalidating her passports.
Authorities may also advance their extradition appeal by requesting an Interpol Red Notice.
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Expert opinions
The ruling shook the world, with many experts sharing their opinions about the decision as well as the future that awaits Bangladesh.
According to South Asia analyst Michael Kugelman, with Hasina still in exile in India, New Delhi is clearly in a bind as it is expected to face more pressure to extradite her.
It has been known that Hasina and her family have long held close ties with the Indian ruling party and opposition alike, and India seems unlikely to betray her.
For Bangladeshi national security professional and former diplomat at the Embassy of Bangladesh in Washington, Wahiduzzaman Noor, the ICT’s ruling against Hasina marks an important moment for the family members of the victims of the uprising.
The decision, he said, acknowledges their grief and offers justice for their loss.
But despite this, he said that the judicial process surrounding the trial raised difficult questions.
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