Dhaka: Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT-BD) will deliver its verdict on Monday (November 17) in the high-profile case against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who faces five counts of crimes against humanity related to last year’s deadly Dhaka protests.
Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Hasina, now in exile in India, accusing her of ordering a violent crackdown on the student-led uprising that led to her ouster in August 2024.
Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun were also tried—Hasina and Kamal in absentia as “fugitives.”
Chief prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam said Hasina “deserves 1,400 death sentences” — a reference to the UN’s estimate that around 1,400 people were killed in the July 2024 unrest. “Since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one,” he said.
The tribunal concluded hearings on October 23 after 54 witnesses testified over 28 sessions. The charges against Hasina include murder, extermination, incitement, and the killing of unarmed protesters in Dhaka and its outskirts.
Security Lockdown in Dhaka
Ahead of the verdict, Bangladesh is witnessing heightened security, with army deployment across key sites, including the ICT-BD complex.
Schools have shifted to online mode, transport services are limited, and the Awami League has called a nationwide lockdown to protest the trial.
Tense Calm Before Judgment
As the nation braces for Monday’s verdict, Dhaka remains tense — its streets quiet but anxious — with fears of fresh violence once the court announces its decision in one of the most politically charged trials in Bangladesh’s history.
