Bangladesh sentences former prime minister Hasina to death

November 17, 2025 / 9:00 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: A court in Bangladesh on Monday sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death for crimes against humanity, including inciting murder during the security crackdown on the student uprising in August 2024. The former leader described the decision as "politically motivated."

Verdict related to 2024 student uprising

The court found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity connected to the bloody security crackdown that ousted her in August 2024. Hasina, currently outside the country, called the verdict "politically motivated."

Court findings and trial duration

A Dhaka court concluded a five-month trial, finding Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity, including inciting and ordering murder.

Judge Ghulam Murtaza Muzumaddir, who delivered the verdict, stated, "All the elements constituting a crime against humanity are present." He added, "We have decided to impose only one punishment: death."

Hasina’s response from exile

Sheikh Hasina, who has consistently denied the charges, issued a statement from her self-imposed exile in India. She called the verdict politically motivated and biased, asserting it was issued by an "illegal court, appointed and presided over by an unelected government without a democratic mandate."

Statement on fair trial

Hasina claimed, "The conviction was predetermined." She affirmed her willingness to face her accusers "in an impartial court that will consider the evidence fairly."