Image Source livemint
DHAKA – Bangladesh awoke today to an unprecedented stillness, one that felt less like peace and more like a tense vacuum before a storm, as the special tribunal commenced reading its verdict in the landmark crimes against humanity case against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The International Crimes Tribunal-BD (ICT-BD) is delivering its judgment on the former premier, who is being tried in absentia after fleeing to India following the mass student uprising that toppled her 15-year rule in August 2024. The prosecution has sought the death penalty for the 78-year-old leader, alleging she was the “mastermind and principal architect” of the violent state crackdown that, according to a UN estimate, killed up to 1,400 people.
The charges—including the use of lethal force, helicopters, and drones against unarmed protestors, as well as failure to prevent mass killings—center on the government’s response to the 2024 mass demonstrations.
Streets Cleared, Tensions High
In the capital, Dhaka, an eerie calm pervaded the usually chaotic streets. This is largely attributed to a two-day nationwide hartal (shutdown) called by Hasina’s now-banned Awami League party, which denounces the tribunal as a “kangaroo court” and the trial as a politically motivated witch-hunt by the interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
The visible security presence, however, tells a different story of preparedness for conflict. Paramilitary Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) troops have been deployed alongside police and the army, with security reinforced around the tribunal complex and key government installations. Reports indicate that police authorities have even issued an extreme “shoot-on-sight” order against anyone engaging in arson or throwing crude bombs with “intent to kill,” a testament to the rising political volatility.
- Arson and Blasts: The past week has seen an escalation in sporadic violence, with dozens of crude bomb blasts and numerous arson attacks, primarily targeting public buses, rocking Dhaka and other districts.
- Political Battle Lines: In an audio message released ahead of the verdict, Hasina rejected the charges as “entirely false” and urged her supporters not to be “nervous,” claiming the public would ultimately deliver justice. Meanwhile, the interim government has remained resolute, promising that the verdict, whatever the outcome, will be fully implemented.
A Trial’s Unique Legacy
The case itself is historic, marking the first time a former Bangladeshi prime minister has faced the country’s war crimes tribunal, which was originally established by Hasina’s own government to prosecute atrocities from the 1971 Liberation War. The trial’s focus on state-orchestrated violence against civilian protestors in a post-independence context adds a complicated, dark chapter to Bangladesh’s judicial and political narrative.
With the tribunal proceedings televised live, the nation and the international community are locked in a moment of intense scrutiny. The outcome is expected not only to determine the fate of one of the world’s longest-serving female leaders but also to act as a profound stress test for the country’s fragile political transition and its long-term commitment to accountability.
