'Those in power want to eradicate...', says Bangladeshi ex-PM Sheikh Hasina as tribunal set to deliver verdict

Sheikh Hasina

Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) on Monday held former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty in the case related to crimes against humanity committed during last year's student-led agitation.

"Sheikh Hasina has committed crimes against humanity. Six protesters at Chankharpul were killed using lethal weapons on August 5. By issuing orders and through the inaction of Sheikh Hasina, the then Home Minister, and the IG of police, the students were killed. These killings happened under the orders and full knowledge of PM Sheikh Hasina. By such acts, they committed crimes against humanity," the charges as reported by PTI.

Ahead of the verdict, Hasina delivered a sweeping denunciation of the Muhammad Yunus-led interim administration, speaking from an undisclosed safe house in New Delhi.

In a conversation with NDTV, she described her dramatic exit from Dhaka, the demolition of her family’s residence, and what she portrays as a state-orchestrated drive against minorities and the democratic framework she says her government built. This came after Hasina gave interview to several Indian and international media organisations even as the Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry summoned Indian Deputy High Commissioner Pawan Badhe to convey what it called “serious concern” over Hasina’s interaction with the Indian media.

Hasina said leaving Bangladesh on August 5, 2024 came only when “the security situation had deteriorated so drastically” that she felt compelled to depart to avoid further bloodshed, in the NDTV interview.

Reflecting on the turmoil that unseated her, she said the unrest, initially sparked by student agitation, was quickly seized upon by “anti-democratic forces” who, according to her, turned the protests into a violent bid to topple an elected government.

“It was painful to leave behind my homeland,” she admitted, noting that the aftermath has been equally hard to witness.

One of the most emotionally charged points in the interview was the targeting of 32 Dhanmondi, the residence of her father, the country’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. The tearing down of that home, she said, was a “barbaric attempt to erase the legacy of our hard-fought battle for independence.”

"Those in power want to eradicate the spirit of our Liberation War. This is an absolute insult to the memories of those who gave their lives for our future," she said. Despite the wreckage, she insisted that Bangladeshis would safeguard the principles her father stood for, arguing that values such as democracy and secularism “cannot be extinguished from Bangladesh's soul.”

Her criticism of the interim government focused heavily on the absence of a clear electoral road map. With the Awami League barred and the Yunus administration indicating polls for February, she said that any such exercise would lack legitimacy.

She contended that the delay in restoring electoral rule stems from the regime’s “fear of facing voters’ judgment,” dismissing the announced plan as a “charade” designed to formalize unconstitutional authority.

She also addressed a surge of attacks on Hindu and other minority communities, which she described as systematic and politically driven. Citing assaults on temples, businesses and homes, she argued the violence has been both widespread and ignored by those in charge.

She said the interim authorities “actively sanctioned these brutal attacks by denying their very existence,” contrasting that period with what she called her government’s long-running efforts to contain extremism and defend religious pluralism.

In her telling, the appointment of extremists to cabinet posts and the release of individuals allegedly tied to organisations like Hizb-ut Tahrir reflect a clear ideological shift.

On allegations that the United States played a covert role in the regime change, Hasina said she has seen “no decisive evidence” of foreign influence.

She added that although Yunus was admired in some American circles, she believes that sentiment has waned as foreign governments observe his “dismantle” of Bangladesh’s democratic institutions.

She expressed strong gratitude to India for hosting her, calling it a temporary refuge rooted in deep cultural and strategic ties.

However, she emphasised that Bangladesh’s political destiny must be shaped internally, saying India “would prefer to deal with a mature and authoritative partner” elected by the Bangladeshi people.

Meanwhile, tensions in Bangladesh escalated sharply ahead of the special tribunal verdict expected on Monday in a case accusing Hasina of crimes against humanity related to last year’s July Uprising.

Security forces were deployed extensively across Dhaka after multiple crude bombings and arson attacks. Unknown assailants set fire to a police station’s dumping yard and detonated explosives outside the home of a member of Yunus’s advisory council.

Several intersections saw more blasts, and Dhaka Metropolitan Police ordered officers to “shoot violent protesters on sight.” Commissioner SM Sazzat Ali defended the directive, telling news agency PTI, “anyone who sets a bus on fire or throws crude bombs with intent to kill should be shot.”

The tribunal’s prosecutors sought the highest penalty for Hasina, 78, and said her conviction would be broadcast live on state television, with selected segments streamed online.

Tried in absentia along with former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, Hasina cannot appeal unless she returns or is arrested within thirty days of the verdict. She dismissed the charges in an overnight audio message, telling supporters, “We have seen enough of these attacks and cases, this is just a matter of time.”

The interim leadership has pledged that the ruling, “whatever it is, will be executed.” Hasina, however, insists she is being targeted under a “meticulous design” by a “usurper,” asserting the accusations are “entirely false” and invoking Bangladesh’s constitution: “If someone by force removes the elected representatives from power, they will be punished. Yunus just did it.”