Sheikh Hasina, Kamal to die for crimes against humanity

International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has awarded death penalty to ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina for committing crimes against humanity during the July Uprising.

A three-member panel of ICT-1, led by Justice Golam Mortuza Majumder pronounced the verdict on Monday, November 17.

Earlier in the day, the ICT began reading out the verdict in the much-anticipated case over crimes against humanity against ousted prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who fled to India in the face of a mass uprising in July–August 2024 around 12:40pm on Monday (November 17).

This is the first case filed over killings and other crimes against humanity committed during the July Uprising.

The 453-page verdict consists of six parts, said one of the judges of the panel while stating the preamble of the verdict. He also said, there is no scope under the law to raise a question over the jurisdiction of the ICT.

While reading out the verdict, the judge said, during the protests demanding systematic changes to the quota system in public jobs existing at that time, Sheikh Hasina made the statement, "Will Rajakars' grandchildren get jobs rather than the grandchildren of the Freedom Fighters?" She also incited violence by making statements like, "Chhatra League is enough to control the [protesting] students." By inciting violence through such statements and taking no punitive measures against the perpetrators who attacked protesting students, Sheikh Hasina committed crimes against humanity, the judge said. She also ordered use of helicopters and lethal weapons on protestors, added the judge.

During a phone conversation with the then Dhaka South mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Hasina said law-enforcement had already been ordered to use lethal weapons and arrest those who took part in the protests during the July Uprising. "Police have been ordered to shoot protestors anywhere they can," she said.

Sheikh Hasina, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun committed crimes against humanity by ordering, abatement of killing protestors during peaceful protests and inaction to punish the perpetrators, said the judge.

The premises surrounding the tribunal have been placed under a stringent, multi-layered security cordon since last night. The heightened security measures were implemented ahead of the scheduled verdict, ensuring that security concerns are addressed and any potential unrest can be prevented.

Hasina and Kamal, who fled to India in the face of the mass uprising in August last year, remain absconding. Meanwhile, Mamun has given a deposition as a state witness in the case.

The judgement was broadcast live on Bangladesh Television and shown on large screens at several locations in Dhaka under cultural ministry initiative. The tribunal's Facebook page is also streaming the proceedings.

On November 13, the ICT set today (November 17) as the date for announcing the verdict.

Over 28 working days, the tribunal heard testimonies from 54 out of the 81 listed witnesses. Mamun has already given his statement before the tribunal, confessing his involvement and testifying as a state witness.

The prosecution presented its closing arguments over five consecutive days, concluding on October 16. On that day, Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam sought the death penalty for Hasina and Kamal while leaving the court to decide on the sentence for approver Abdullah Al-Mamun.

In this case, the prosecution brought five charges of crimes against humanity against the three accused on May 12.

The formal charge document spans a total of 8,747 pages, including 2,018 pages of references, 4,005 pages of seizure lists and documentary evidence, and 2,724 pages detailing the list of martyrs of July Uprising.

Throughout the arguments, the prosecution revisited key political and human rights developments during Hasina's tenure from 2009 to August 5, 2024 – including accounts of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and political violence. Following that, state-appointed defence counsel Md Amir Hossain presented arguments for Hasina and Kamal over three consecutive days, concluding on October 22. On the same day, Zayed Bin Amjad, counsel for approver Abdullah Al-Mamun, also submitted his final statement.

On May 12, the prosecution brought five charges against the three, including incitement, provocation, and command responsibility for the killing of around 1,400 people and the maiming of another 25,000 during the July–August uprising.

On June 17, the tribunal published notices in two national dailies, asking Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to surrender by June 24.

The notices were issued after the court took cognisance of the formal charges submitted on June 1. Charges were framed against the three on July 10.