Latest news with #BangladeshPolitics
Al Jazeera
6 hours ago
- General
- Al Jazeera
Will Sheikh Hasina face justice in Bangladesh?
Fugitive and former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has officially been charged with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors in Dhaka accuse the 77-year-old of orchestrating a 'systematic attack' on demonstrators during protests last year that ended her 15-year rule. Bangladesh's interim leader Muhammad Yunus has promised to ensure that Hasina and other key figures face justice. But his caretaker government is facing discord over when it will hold elections. So will Sheikh Hasina face punishment, and will Bangladeshis forgive Muhammad Yunus if she does not? Presenter: Mohammed Jamjoom Guests: Rumeen Farhana – Assistant secretary for international affairs of the Central Executive Committee, and former Bangladesh Nationalist Party MP Sreeradha Datta – Professor at OP Jindal Global University Abbas Faiz – Independent South Asia researcher with a focus on Bangladesh
Russia Today
a day ago
- General
- Russia Today
Bangladesh's top court lifts ban on largest Muslim party
Bangladesh's top court on Sunday reversed a previous ruling that paves the way for Jamaat-e-Islami, an Islamist party that was banned by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government, to regain its status as a registered political party. The Appellate Division of the Supreme Court overturned a High Court judgment from 2013 that had declared Jamaat's registration as a political party illegal, local media reported, citing the order. The court also directed the election commission to officially reinstate the registration of Jamaat, thereby enabling it to contest elections, including at the national parliamentary level. Jamaat's registration was revoked through politically motivated public interest litigation, and Sunday's verdict has ensured that a multi-party democratic and participatory parliament is established, lawyers for the party were quoted as saying. The party was an active anti-liberation force during Bangladesh's 1971 Liberation War as a result of which the country gained independence from Pakistan. Its registration with the election commission was canceled in 2013, following a lengthy legal process. In August 2024, days before the Awami League government led by Hasina was ousted from power, it banned all activities by Jamaat and its student wing, Islami Chhatra Shibir, under anti-terrorism laws. The Hasina government held Jamaat responsible for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity committed during the 1971 war, as per the verdicts of several cases delivered by the International Crimes Tribunal set up specifically to try those accused of war crimes. Days after taking power following Hasina's ouster, the interim government headed by Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, reversed the earlier decision and lifted the ban on the political activities of the party and affiliated organizations. Sunday's ruling by the Supreme Court comes amid ongoing political instability in Bangladesh, which, according to local media, stems from the reluctance of the Yunus administration to announce elections in the country. In a separate development, the same International Crimes Tribunal that earlier convicted Jamaat leaders issued arrest warrants on Sunday for former Prime Minister Hasina and ex-Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, accusing them of crimes against humanity in connection with their alleged involvement in suppressing a major uprising in July 2024. The tribunal's ruling has cleared the way for Hasina to stand trial. Dhaka previously sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi requesting Hasina's return to face trial, to which the Indian government has not formally responded so far.
New York Times
2 days ago
- General
- New York Times
Bangladesh's Ousted Leader Faces New Arrest Warrant in Killing of Protesters
A special court in Bangladesh on Sunday issued an arrest warrant for the ousted leader Sheikh Hasina, as prosecutors sought to hold her accountable for the deaths of more than a thousand protesters in the final months of her authoritarian rule. The International Crimes Tribunal, which Ms. Hasina set up in 2010 to look into war crimes of decades past, charged Ms. Hasina, the former prime minister, and several of her top lieutenants with a long list of roles in the mass killings, including incitement, facilitation and conspiracy. While the toppled leader has faced arrest warrants in other cases, these are the gravest of charges against her so far. The tribunal's chief prosecutor, Mohammad Tajul Islam, accused Ms. Hasina of unleashing systematic violence against peaceful protesters last July before she fled the country and sought refuge in India, where she remains. While Ms. Hasina's years of crushing dissent, which culminated with last summer's deadly crackdown, are well-documented, the trial comes at a particularly fraught political moment in Bangladesh. The interim administration that replaced her is accused by opposition parties of delaying elections for her replacement. Muhammad Yunus, the 84-year-old Nobel Laureate who is leading the interim government, is facing pressure from opposition parties to hold the vote by December. He has pushed for more months beyond that, saying the extra time is needed to reform election procedures and deliver a fairer vote. The court's proceedings were televised live for the first time in the country's history. All of the accused were absent. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Bangladesh opens fugitive ex-PM's trial over protest killings
Up to 1,400 people were killed during violent protests in Bangladesh last year. (EPA Images pic) DHAKA : Fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a 'systemic attack' to try to crush the uprising against her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial today. Up to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when 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. The domestic 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,' Mohammad Tajul Islam, ICT chief prosecutor, 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 charges against Hasina and two other officials of 'abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising'. '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 who did not appear in court today – and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who like Hasina, is 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 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, records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown as part of their probe. The ICT court opened its first trial connected to the previous government on May 25. In that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on Aug 5, the day 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. Earlier today, the Supreme Court restored the registration of the largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in elections. Hasina banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its leaders. In May, Bangladesh's interim government banned the Awami League, pending the outcome of her trial, and of other party leaders.
Arab News
3 days ago
- General
- Arab News
Bangladesh opens fugitive ex-PM's trial over protest killings
DHAKA: Fugitive former prime minister Sheikh Hasina orchestrated a 'systemic attack' to try to crush the uprising against her government, Bangladeshi prosecutors said at the opening of her trial on to 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024 when Hasina's government launched its crackdown, according to the United 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 domestic International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) is prosecuting former senior figures connected to Hasina's ousted government and her now-banned party, the Awami League.'Upon scrutinizing the evidence, we reached the conclusion that it was a coordinated, widespread and systematic attack,' Mohammad Tajul Islam, ICT chief prosecutor, 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 charges against Hasina and two other officials of 'abetment, incitement, complicity, facilitation, conspiracy, and failure to prevent mass murder during the July uprising.'Hasina, who remains in self-imposed exile in India, has rejected the charges as politically well as Hasina, the case includes ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun — who is in custody, but who did not appear in court on Sunday — and former interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who like Hasina, is on 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 hearing is being broadcast live on state-owned Bangladesh Islam vowed 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 have collected video footage, audio clips, Hasina's phone conversations, records of helicopter and drone movements, as well as statements from victims of the crackdown as part of their ICT court opened its first trial connected to the previous government on May that case, eight police officials face charges of crimes against humanity over the killing of six protesters on August 5, the day Hasina fled the of the officers are in custody and four are being tried in ICT was set up by Hasina in 2009 to investigate crimes committed by the Pakistani army during Bangladesh's war for independence in sentenced numerous prominent political opponents to death and became widely seen as a means for Hasina to eliminate on Sunday, the Supreme Court restored the registration of the largest Islamist party, Jamaat-e-Islami, allowing it to take part in banned Jamaat-e-Islami during her tenure and cracked down on its May, Bangladesh's interim government banned the Awami League, pending the outcome of her trial, and of other party leaders.
