Sheikh Hasina gets death penalty in Bangladesh: A complete timeline and how it puts India in a tight spot

(FILES) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina arriving at the airport, in New Delhi, Thursday, Oct. 3, 2019. (PTI Photo)

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) for what the court described as “crimes against humanity.” The ruling comes after a months-long trial into Hasina’s alleged role in ordering a violent crackdown on student-led protests that toppled her government in August 2024.

The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Majumder, announced the verdict on Monday, convicting Hasina on three counts related to the “extermination” of protesters during the “July Uprising.” Two of her top aides -- former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun -- were also found guilty.

According to the judgment, the three acted “in connivance with each other to commit atrocities in order to kill protesters through the country.” The court described the acts as “planned, systematic, and targeted at unarmed civilians.”

Hasina and Kamal were tried in absentia after being declared fugitives, while Mamun initially appeared before the tribunal but later turned approver.

What the court said

The tribunal’s 453-page judgment, divided into six sections, laid out how the court reached its decision, claiming it operated “at par with other international tribunals.” Judges spent nearly 40 minutes reading the verdict, explaining its legal foundations and evidentiary findings.

The court found that the Hasina government had “ignored students’ legitimate demands” and instead made “derogatory remarks” that inflamed tensions. The judgment cited Hasina’s comments calling protesting students “Razakars,” a deeply offensive term in Bangladesh associated with collaborators of Pakistan during the 1971 Liberation War.

“In the aftermath of the derogatory remarks, students, including females, burst into a rage,” the court noted, adding that Sheikh Hasina then ordered the “elimination of protesting students.”
Prosecutors said the ruling Awami League’s student and youth wings -- the Chhatra League and Jubo League -- carried out attacks on university campuses, including Dhaka University, under Hasina’s direction.

The court held that Hasina committed crimes against humanity by inciting violence and directly ordering the killings of students. It cited multiple instances of command responsibility:

“Sheikh Hasina incited attacks on students, including at a July 14 press conference where she made derogatory remarks about descendants of freedom fighters and Razakars,” the tribunal said.
The judgment also stated that Hasina had “directed the Vice-President of a university, in a telephonic conversation, to hang the protestors,” an order the court said was later executed. Forensic tests reportedly confirmed the authenticity of the recording.

According to the verdict, Hasina also “ordered helicopters to fire on students”, and instructed security forces to torture demonstrators. Another charge accused her of authorising the mass arrests of protesters and ordering the Mayor of Dhaka South to use “lethal force” on armed civilians.

The tribunal concluded that all three accused -- Hasina, Kamal, and Mamun -- “committed crimes against humanity.”

The charges against Hasina and her aides

Hasina, 78, was charged with five counts, including murder, attempted murder, torture, and inhumane acts. Prosecutors alleged that she ordered the “extermination” of protesters during the July 2024 uprising that led to her ouster.

A UN human rights report estimated that up to 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15, 2024, during the government’s crackdown on student demonstrators.

Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam described Hasina as the “mastermind and principal architect” of the violence. He said, “The accused acted in coordination with security forces to suppress political opposition and silence dissent.”

Hasina’s supporters, however, insist the charges are politically motivated. Before the verdict, Hasina told AFP that her conviction was “preordained.” She called the tribunal a “jurisprudential joke” and accused the interim government of Muhammad Yunus of orchestrating her downfall.

Hasina’s exile and extradition demand

Hasina fled Bangladesh on August 4, 2024, one day before her government collapsed amid mass protests. She has since been living in exile in India, reportedly between Delhi and Gurugram.

The interim government led by Muhammad Yunus has formally requested her extradition, but India has not yet responded. Kamal, the former Home Minister, is also believed to be in India.

Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has maintained that India’s cooperation is essential for implementing the verdict. Officials in Dhaka said they “expect New Delhi to respect the gravity of the tribunal’s ruling.”

Security situation in Bangladesh

Authorities in Bangladesh imposed strict security measures ahead of the verdict. Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sheikh Md Sajjat Ali issued shoot-at-sight orders against anyone involved in arson, violence, or attacks on police.

The Awami League, now disbanded, had called for a two-day national shutdown in protest. Armoured vehicles, Border Guard Bangladesh units, and army troops were deployed around the tribunal complex. Streets across Dhaka remained largely empty as residents feared fresh clashes.

A series of crude bomb explosions in the capital in recent weeks have heightened tension. Analysts believe the verdict may deepen instability as Bangladesh heads toward its February 2026 general elections.

What it means for India

Hasina’s conviction has created a diplomatic challenge for New Delhi, where she has been residing since her ouster. India has so far maintained silence, balancing between its long-standing relationship with Hasina and the political realities of Bangladesh’s new interim government.

Hasina was India’s closest ally in Dhaka, often described as central to New Delhi’s regional strategy. During her tenure, she helped curb cross-border militancy, supported connectivity projects, and maintained stable ties with India even amid Chinese outreach in South Asia.

If Bangladesh insists on Hasina’s extradition, India will face a difficult diplomatic choice — whether to hand over a former head of government or continue providing her refuge, potentially straining relations with the Yunus-led interim administration.

Analysts believe India may prefer to delay a decision until Bangladesh’s political situation stabilises. A senior Indian diplomat told local media that “India’s immediate priority is ensuring the safety of its citizens and the security of the region, not taking sides in Bangladesh’s internal conflict.”

Still, the presence of a convicted former prime minister on Indian soil is likely to become a major talking point in both Dhaka and Delhi in the coming weeks.