Who is Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal? Ex-Bangladesh Home Minister sentenced to death alongside Sheikh Hasina

Ex-home minister Kamal

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal have been sentenced to death by a Bangladesh court for "crimes against humanity" committed during last year’s student-led agitation that toppled the Awami League government.

Hasina, currently living in exile, was tried in absentia, while Khan Kamal, also a fugitive, faced the same proceedings.

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Ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was spared the death penalty and sentenced to five years in prison. The court issued notices to Sheikh Hasina and the Home Minister to appear and contest the case, noting that their failure to attend may indicate alleged guilt.

Who is Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal? 

Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, a former freedom fighter from the 1971 Liberation War, served three consecutive terms as Home Minister and held various parliamentary and public service roles. He faces charges including murder and corruption, with the Anti-Corruption Commission investigating alleged illegal wealth.

Also read: Sheikh Hasina reacts to death sentence verdict: 'Rigged, biased and politically motivated'

In an interview with CNN-News18, Kamal claimed the accusations were motivated by revenge linked to Bangladesh’s Liberation War. “Everything is fake, it is a conspiracy hatched to take revenge for what happened in 1971," he said.

Kamal, who served in Hasina’s cabinet, criticised the proceedings as lacking transparency and credibility. He alleged that the chief justice did not attend court for 15 days and prepared the judgment independently, calling it “pure drama."

He also questioned the reliability of the evidence, stating, “In the digital arena, Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to alter anything. There is no physical evidence. How can someone be convicted on the basis of digital evidence?"

Kamal insisted that the charges depend on material that could be manipulated, making the case unreliable.