Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina charged with crimes against humanity
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally charged with crimes against humanity by the country's International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) over her alleged role in the violent nationwide uprising of July 2024, according to local media reports.
The charges, which were made public on Sunday, mark a significant turn in the political landscape of Bangladesh, as the trial of the exiled former leader began with live television coverage.
Alongside Hasina, former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun have also been named co-accused in the case.
The tribunal, in its Sunday session, received a formal submission of charges from prosecutors who claimed Hasina was the central figure responsible for instigating the mass violence that engulfed the country during July and August last year.
Leading Bangladeshi daily, The Dhaka Tribune, reported that an investigation report submitted on May 12 identified Hasina as having "directly ordered" the killings.
The findings allege that she instructed state security forces, members of her political party, and affiliated organisations to execute brutal crackdowns against the growing wave of anti-government protests.
"These killings were planned," said Chief Prosecutor of Bangladesh's ICT Mohammad Tajul Islam, during the high-profile televised hearing.
He presented video recordings and encrypted communications as evidence, claiming they establish Hasina's orchestration of a "coordinated, widespread and systematic attack."
According to the prosecution, Hasina, then serving as the head of government, bore command responsibility for the violent actions carried out by security forces under her leadership during the peak of the unrest.
"She unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising," Tajul Islam told the tribunal.
This development comes weeks after the interim government, currently led by Muhammad Yunus, banned all activities of the Awami League -- Hasina's party -- under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
The mass protests, initially sparked in early 2024 by student-led demonstrations opposing a controversial job quota system, quickly morphed into a widespread movement demanding Hasina's resignation.
By August 5, facing intense pressure, Hasina stepped down and fled to New Delhi, where she has remained in self-imposed exile.
In October 2024, the ICT issued an arrest warrant against her and formally requested her extradition from India.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Bangladesh: Political parties reject Muhammad Yunus's extended time frame, demand election by December
DHAKA: At least 20 political parties, including former PM Khaleda Zia's BNP, Monday rejected Bangladesh chief adviser Muhammad Yunus 's extended time frame for conducting national election, demanding it be held by Dec. Sources, however, said three political parties, including the radical Jamaat-e-Islami and NCP launched by Nahid Islam who led the anti-Sheikh Hasina movement last year, are reportedly supporting Yunus's time frame of holding the poll between Dec 2025 and June 2026. "There is not a single valid reason to push the national election after Dec and BNP expects a 'neutral role' from Muhammad Yunus in taking a final decision," BNP member Salahuddin Ahmed said after the National Consensus Commission dialogue with Yunus. This was the second round of talks between political parties and the Yunus-headed interim govt on the election - pending since last year following the fall of the Hasina-led govt. In Monday's meeting, all but three political parties have demanded elections by Dec, Gono Odhikar Parishad chief Nurul Haque Nur said. Yunus expressed optimism about finalising a broadly accepted 'July Charter' - an agreement built through collective understanding among parties after the ouster of the Hasina govt. Salahuddin hoped Yunus will consider Dec for conducting the election. He also argued the commission has already taken significant time and election before year-end remains feasible. "Full consensus may not be support reforms that benefit the nation and ensure inclusion of all," he added.
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
Dutch Far-Right Leader Threatens To Quit Ruling Coalition Over Migration Plan
Amsterdam: Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders threatened on Monday to topple the Netherlands' already fragile right-wing government, which he said did not back his ideas for stricter asylum policies. Anti-Muslim populist Wilders, who won the most recent election in the Netherlands, last week demanded immediate support for his proposals to completely halt asylum migration, send Syrian refugees back to their home country and to close asylum shelters. Coalition partners have not embraced his ideas, and have pointed out that it is up to the migration minister from Wilders' own party to work on specific proposals. After meeting government party leaders on Monday evening, Wilders said this was not enough to secure his continued support for the coalition. "We have a serious problem," he told reporters. "We will take it up again tomorrow morning, but it does not look good." The coalition led by Wilders' PVV party has struggled to reach any consensus since its installation in July last year, and needs to tackle tough decisions in the coming months, including a possible historic increase in military spending to meet new NATO targets. Recent polls have shown Wilders has lost support since joining government, putting his party roughly at par with the Labour/Green combination that is currently the second-largest in parliament.
The Print
2 hours ago
- The Print
GST inspector held in Haryana's Palwal while accepting bribe: Anti-Corruption Bureau
Faridabad (Hry), Jun 2 (PTI) The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Faridabad arrested a female GST inspector of the office of the Palwal district excise and taxation commissioner on Monday while she was allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 5,000 in lieu of issuing a GST number to a complainant, an official said. According to a statement issued by the ACB, accused Sumitra was also arrested in Panipat in 2022 while accepting a bribe of Rs 2 lakh, along with co-accused ETO Roshan Lal. A senior ACB officer said in the Panipat case, a chargesheet was filed against both the accused in July 2022 and the matter is still sub-judice.
