Bangladesh issues shoot-at-sight order ahead of Sheikh Hasina verdict: What are her five charges?

Bangladesh On Alert Ahead Hasina Verdict, Shoot At Sight Order Issued

Bangladesh’s ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is facing charges of crimes against humanity linked to last year’s student-led uprising that toppled her 15-year rule.

Security has been tightened across Bangladesh ahead of a special tribunal’s verdict against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faces charges of crimes against humanity linked to last year’s uprising.

Dhaka police chief Sheikh Mohammad Sazzat Ali issued a “shoot-on-sight” order against anyone attempting to torch vehicles or throw crude bombs. The directive comes after nearly 50 arson attacks, mostly targeting vehicles, and dozens of bomb explosions were reported nationwide in the past week. Two people were killed in the attacks, local media said.

Authorities also requested army deployment around the Supreme Court ahead of the tribunal proceedings. Prosecutors at the International Crimes Tribunal have sought the death penalty for Hasina, who is in exile in India, and for former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan.

A third accused, ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, turned state witness and pleaded guilty, with no penalty recommended against him. Verdicts for all three are expected on Monday.

Hasina and Khan are being tried in absentia for their alleged roles in the violent crackdown on the July–August 2024 protests. The UN earlier estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed during the unrest, while the interim government’s health adviser placed the toll above 800, with around 14,000 injured.

Local media reported fresh crude bomb explosions in Dhaka on Sunday, including outside the home of an adviser to the Yunus-led interim government.

The International Crimes Tribunal–Bangladesh (ICT-BD) is scheduled to convene at 11 am on Monday. The panel will rule on five charges against Hasina, Khan and Al-Mamun, relating to alleged crimes against humanity during the July Uprising. The accusations include ordering lethal force, torture, specific killings in Rangpur and Dhaka, the use of helicopters and drones, and an alleged order to “exterminate” protesters.

Sheikh Hasina, 78, is facing multiple charges following her ouster in August 2024, including murder, corruption, and abuse of power. Monday’s verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal focuses on five counts of alleged crimes against humanity linked to last year’s July Uprising.

She is accused of sanctioning the shooting of unarmed student protesters, issuing orders to deploy lethal weapons, helicopters, and drones, and making inflammatory remarks that encouraged the crackdown. Several charges also relate to specific killings in Rangpur and Dhaka, including the deaths of six unarmed protesters. Another accusation alleges she ordered the “extermination” of protesters.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam has sought the death penalty for Hasina and Khan, arguing that their actions amounted to “organised crimes against unarmed civilians.” The defence, however, contends that the charges are politically motivated and orchestrated by the Yunus-led interim government.

Hasina has rejected the charges as “entirely false,” accusing interim leader Professor Muhammad Yunus of engineering her removal. “Let them try me, I don’t care… The verdict will not be able to gouge my mouth,” she said in a recent message. She insisted that any false complaints against her would eventually face legal consequences.

The former prime minister fled to India on the day her government collapsed and has remained there since. She continues to allege that Yunus is a “usurper,” while the interim administration maintains it has formally requested her extradition — a request to which India has not yet responded.

The ICT was originally established by Hasina’s own government to prosecute 1971 war crimes. Following her ouster, the interim government amended its mandate to include recent atrocities, opening the door for her trial. Al-Mamun, the former police chief, has testified that both Hasina and Khan ordered the crackdown.