Sheikh Hasina, the historic leader who ruled Bangladesh for 20 years, was sentenced to death this Monday by a Bangladeshi court for crimes against humanity for ordering a deadly crackdown during a student uprising in 2024. The verdict comes after months of trial at the International Crimes Court of this Asian country, in the capital, Dhaka, in which they tried to clarify the role of the former prime minister in the government’s violent reaction to the protests, which ended up leaving 1,400 people stranded deaths, according to the UN.
Hasina, who lives in exile in India after leaving office and leaving the country in August 2024, last week described the body that tried her in absentia as an “irregular court”. The prosecution sought the death penalty against the former president. She denied all charges against her.
Meanwhile, this Monday, before the ruling, hundreds of protesters attempted to gather in the country’s capital. With security tightened for fear of unrest, many protesters were dispersed.
