Bangladesh ex-PM accused of ‘systematic attack' in deadly protest crackdown
DHAKA: Fugitive former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a 'systematic attack' that amounted to crimes against humanity in her attempt to crush the uprising that toppled her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on Sunday.
Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 after Hasina's government launched its crackdown, according to the United Nations.
Hasina, 77, fled by helicopter to her old ally India as the student-led uprising ended her 15-year rule and she has defied an extradition order to return to Dhaka.
Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina's ousted government and her now-banned party, the Awami League.
'Upon scrutinising the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack,' ICT chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam told the court in his opening speech.
'The accused unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising.'
Islam lodged five charges each against Hasina and two other officials that included 'abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising'.
Bangladesh court begins first trial of Hasina-era officials
Prosecutors say such acts are tantamount to 'crimes against humanity'.
'Not an act of vendetta'
Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has rejected the charges as politically motivated.
As well as Hasina, the case includes ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun – who is in custody but did not appear in court on Sunday – and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who is also on the run.
The prosecution of senior figures from Hasina's government is a key demand of several of the political parties now jostling for power. The interim government has vowed to hold elections before June 2026.
The hearing is being broadcast live on state-owned Bangladesh Television.
Prosecutor Islam vowed that the trial would be impartial.
'This is not an act of vendetta but a commitment to the principle that, in a democratic country, there is no room for crimes against humanity,' he said.
Investigators have collected video footage, audio clips, Hasina's phone conversations and records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown, as part of their probe.
The prosecution argues that Hasina ordered security forces, through directives from the interior ministry and police, to crush the protesters.
'They systematically committed murder, attempted murder, torture, and other inhuman acts,' Islam said.
Prosecutors also allege that security forces opened fire from helicopters after Hasina's directives.
They also accused Hasina of ordering the killing of student protester Abu Sayeed, who was shot dead at close range in the northern city of Rangpur on July 16.
He was the first student demonstrator killed in the police crackdown on protests and footage of his last moments was shown repeatedly on Bangladeshi television after Hasina's downfall.
The ICT court opened its first trial connected to Hasina's government on May 25.
In that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on August 5, the day that Hasina fled the country.
Four of the officers are in custody and four are being tried in absentia.
The ICT was set up by Hasina in 2009 to investigate crimes committed by the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war for independence in 1971.
It sentenced numerous prominent political opponents to death and became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate rivals.
Separately on Sunday, the Supreme Court restored the registration of Bangladesh's largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in elections.
Hasina had banned Jamaat-e-Islami and cracked down on its leaders.
Bangladesh's interim government banned the Awami League in May, pending the outcome of her trial, and those of other party leaders.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 hours ago
- Express Tribune
UK judge convicts man over blasphemy
A Turkish-born man who desecrated the holy Quran in London was on Monday found guilty of a religiously aggravated public order offence, in a case taken up by free-speech campaigners. Hamit Coskun, 50, shouted blasphemous remarks as he desecrated the holy Quran outside the Turkish consulate in London last February 13. District Judge John McGarva at London's Westminster Magistrates' Court found Coskun guilty of using disorderly behaviour "within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress". He was motivated by "hostility towards members of a religious group, namely followers of Islam", said McGarva, who issued Coskun a £240 ($325) fine, with a statutory surcharge of £96. "Your actions in burning the Koran where you did were highly provocative, and your actions were accompanied by bad language in some cases directed toward the religion and were motivated at least in part by hatred of followers of the religion," said the judge. State prosecutors insisted Coskun was not being prosecuted for burning the book. AFP
Express Tribune
5 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Shifting tides
Bangladesh's Supreme Court has restored the registration of Jamaat-e-Islami, the country's largest Islamist party, more than a decade after it was barred from the political arena. The decision, which follows the ouster of Sheikh Hasina's government last August in a students-led uprising, marks a pivotal moment in the nation's political realignment. Restoring the once-barred entity is a symbolic reversal of a political order that had sought to marginalise the party from national discourse. Under Sheikh Hasina's Awami League, Jamaat was systematically targeted, its leaders prosecuted for war crimes and its influence curtailed. Critics argued this was a necessary reckoning with history. Supporters, however, viewed it as political vengeance dressed in judicial robes. Now, with Hasina in exile and facing charges, the tables are turning rapidly. Ironically, the Awami League itself has been banned pending legal proceedings, leaving the political field wide open. This moment is as fragile as it is historic. The interim government's promise of elections by June next year provides a sliver of hope for a return to democratic normalcy. But history in Bangladesh has shown that transitions rarely proceed smoothly. Jamaat's return to the electoral process may inflame old tensions, particularly among those who still see the party through the lens of its role in the 1971 liberation war. Yet, the question today is not merely whether Jamaat should or should not participate in, it is whether Bangladesh can build a truly pluralistic political culture that transcends revenge and repression. The banning of the Awami League, just as the Jamaat returns, must be viewed with equal scrutiny. No democracy can thrive by simply rotating bans on its major political forces. Whether the nation can find solid ground again will depend on its ability to uphold the rule of law and resist the temptation to silence dissent regardless of who holds power.
Express Tribune
6 hours ago
- Express Tribune
Pakistan, China reaffirm commitment to peace in South Asia
Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Fu Cong calls on high-level parliamentary delegation led by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on June 2, 2025. Photo: X/PakistanUN_NY Listen to article Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, leading a high-level delegation, met with Ambassador Fu Cong, the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations, to discuss the evolving security situation in South Asia, particularly in the wake of India's recent aggressive actions. The meeting on Monday focused on Pakistan's efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region amidst India's belligerent posture. Bilawal expressed heartfelt gratitude from the people of Pakistan for China's unwavering support during India's provocations. He briefed the Chinese delegation on the developments following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, highlighting Pakistan's responsible and restrained response in contrast to India's aggressive actions. "It is regrettable that India rejected Pakistan's offer for an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation," Bilawal said. پاکستان اور چین کا جنوبی ایشیا میں ذمہ دارانہ امن کے فروغ اور کثیر الجہتی تعاون پر زور اقوام متحدہ، 2 جون 2025 — اقوام متحدہ میں عوامی جمہوریہ چین کے مستقل مندوب، سفیر فو کانگ، نے پاکستان پیپلز پارٹی کے چیئرمین اور سابق وزیر خارجہ جناب بلاول بھٹو زرداری کی سربراہی میں اقوام… — PTV News (@PTVNewsOfficial) June 2, 2025 He reiterated that the resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute is crucial for lasting peace in South Asia and urged China to play an active role in resolving the issue through multilateral cooperation, in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions. The delegation also shared details of India's arbitrary attacks on Pakistani territory, the deliberate targeting of civilians, its involvement in funding and supporting terrorism in Pakistan, and the provocative suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty — a move Bilawal described as the "weaponisation of water" and a clear violation of international law. Both Pakistan and China agreed that unilateral and aggressive actions pose a serious threat to regional peace and must be firmly opposed. Pakistan's Delegation in a meeting with China's PR to the UN, Amb. Fu Cong, shared our post war perspective. I condemned India's reckless actions, including its weaponization of water, and reaffirmed that IIOJK remains an unresolved dispute and a fault line for regional peace.… — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 2, 2025 The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to resolving disputes peacefully, adhering to the principles of the UN Charter, respecting international law, and preserving the sanctity of treaties. Bilawal expressed his thoughts on social media after the talks, stating, "I condemned India's reckless actions, including its weaponisation of water, and reaffirmed that IIOJK remains an unresolved dispute and a fault line for regional peace. He reiterated Pakistan's commitment to the ceasefire, regional stability, and a peaceful resolution in accordance with the UN Charter. The international community must reject India's dangerous 'new normal' of aggression." Together with Pakistan delegation met with the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the UN to convey Pakistan's principled stance in the wake of India's unprovoked aggression. Highlighted Pakistan's responsible and measured approach, and underscored the… — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 2, 2025 Later, the Pakistani delegation met with the Permanent Representative of the Russian Federation to the United Nations and conveyed Pakistan's principled stance in the wake of India's unprovoked aggression. Bilawal highlighted Pakistan's responsible and measured approach and underscored the imperative of a lasting ceasefire, while also drawing attention to India's dangerous weaponisation of water. He further reiterated Pakistan's call for comprehensive dialogue to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions. Bilawal urged Russia to support efforts for regional stability and a rules-based international order anchored in the UN Charter. Held a substantive exchange together with Pakistan Delegation with Ambassadors of the UN Security Council's elected members (E10), conveying Pakistan's principled and responsible stance in the face of India's escalating provocations. Reaffirmed our abiding commitment to… — BilawalBhuttoZardari (@BBhuttoZardari) June 2, 2025 The Pakistani delegation also held a substantive exchange with ambassadors of the UN Security Council's elected members (E10). During the meeting, Bilawal conveyed Pakistan's principled and responsible stance in the face of India's escalating provocations. He reaffirmed Pakistan's abiding commitment to restraint, diplomacy, dialogue, and a rules-based international order. He further underscored the dangers posed by India's weaponisation of water in violation of the Indus Waters Treaty, and reiterated the need to resolve the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in line with Security Council resolutions. "Pakistan unequivocally condemns terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and remains a victim of terrorism that is planned and sponsored from beyond its borders. While Pakistan does not seek conflict, it stands fully prepared to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity. South Asia cannot afford another crisis," said Bilawal.
