Prosecutors in Bangladesh have called for the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, accusing her of committing crimes against humanity during a deadly crackdown on student-led protests that brought down her government in 2024.
Hasina, who led Bangladesh for 15 years before being ousted in August 2024, is alleged to have ordered security forces to open fire on demonstrators. Prosecutors cited a leaked audio recording in which Hasina purportedly instructed commanders to “use lethal weapons” against protesters—a claim she strongly denies.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam told a Dhaka court on Thursday that Hasina deserved “1,400 death sentences”—one for each person killed during the unrest—but added, “since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one.” He accused Hasina of seeking to “cling to power permanently” and showing “no remorse” for the violence.
The protests, which began in July 2024, were initially sparked by anger over civil service job quotas favouring descendants of veterans from Bangladesh’s 1971 independence war. The demonstrations quickly escalated into a nationwide movement demanding Hasina’s resignation. Over several weeks, more than 1,400 people were killed, making it the country’s deadliest unrest since independence.
One of the most violent episodes occurred on 5 August 2024, when Hasina fled her Dhaka residence by helicopter as protesters stormed the compound. Investigators say police opened fire on demonstrators in the capital that day, killing at least 52 people.
Hasina’s state-appointed defence lawyer argued that security forces acted in self-defence after being attacked by violent protesters.
The former leader is being tried in absentia alongside former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Prosecutors have also sought the death penalty for Kamal, who remains in hiding. Chowdhury pleaded guilty in July, admitting he followed government orders during the crackdown, but has not yet been sentenced.
Now 77 years old, Hasina has already received a six-month jail term for contempt of court and faces additional corruption charges related to her time in office. She is believed to be living in India, though New Delhi has not confirmed her presence amid rising diplomatic pressure to clarify her status.
Her once-powerful Awami League has been banned from political activity, while the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by her long-time rival Khaleda Zia, has emerged as the frontrunner ahead of the February 2026 elections.
Rights groups, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, have condemned both the 2024 violence and the ongoing trial, urging transparency and due process. Observers warn that a politically motivated verdict could deepen divisions in the South Asian nation.
Once hailed for transforming Bangladesh into one of Asia’s fastest-growing economies, Hasina’s later years in power were marked by increasing authoritarianism, allegations of election rigging, and the suppression of dissent.
If convicted, Sheikh Hasina would become the first former Bangladeshi leader to be sentenced to death while in exile—a verdict that could trigger renewed political tensions at home and across the region.
