Dhaka [Bangladesh]: Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has issued a sharp response to the verdict delivered against her by the International Crimes Tribunal-1, accusing the interim government of using a “rigged” and politically motivated process to target her and the Awami League. The tribunal on Monday found Hasina guilty of crimes against humanity linked to the July–August 2024 uprising and sentenced her to death, according to local reports.
In a statement shared by the Bangladesh Awami League, Hasina alleged that the tribunal was set up and controlled by an “unelected government with no democratic mandate,” claiming the proceedings were biased and designed to eliminate her from Bangladesh’s political landscape. She said the call for capital punishment exposed the “murderous intent” of extremist factions within the interim administration.
Hasina criticised the government led by Nobel laureate Dr Mohammad Yunus, accusing it of presiding over a deteriorating security environment, weakened public services, and increasing attacks on minorities. She alleged that the tribunal was never intended to uncover the truth behind the unrest of July and August 2025, but rather to scapegoat the Awami League and divert attention from the interim government’s failures.
According to the former prime minister, police withdrawal from violence-hit areas, suppression of women’s rights, persecution of religious minorities, and intimidation of journalists have become routine under the current administration. She also claimed that extremist elements, including members of Hizb-ut-Tahrir, had gained influence within the government.
Hasina said she was denied adequate legal representation and argued that the tribunal lacked both international standards and impartiality. She accused the authorities of removing or silencing judges sympathetic to the Awami League and claimed the court had selectively prosecuted her party while ignoring documented violence by other political groups.
She noted that the same court had previously tried individuals for war crimes committed during the 1971 Liberation War, arguing that the current charges against her were driven by revenge rather than justice. Hasina also challenged the interim government to present its case before the International Criminal Court in The Hague, asserting that they would reject such a move out of fear of being exposed.
The former prime minister, who has been living in exile in India since her government collapsed in 2024, defended her long tenure by highlighting her administration’s achievements, including expansion of electricity access, major reductions in poverty, significant GDP growth, and Bangladesh’s decision to join the ICC. She said these accomplishments contradict allegations of human rights abuses.
Local media reported that alongside Hasina, former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal were also found guilty for their roles in the 2024 unrest. Hasina, 78, was tried in absentia after fleeing to New Delhi following the fall of her government.
