Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Hasina has forcefully denied allegations of committing crimes against humanity as the country braces for a pivotal verdict from the International Crimes Tribunal. S
In her first interview since fleeing Bangladesh on 5 August 2024, Hasina dismissed the proceedings as a politically manipulated “farce” run by a “kangaroo court.”
Hasina faces accusations of orchestrating a deadly crackdown during last year’s student-led uprising that toppled her government. Prosecutors allege she oversaw security operations that led to hundreds of deaths, claims she “categorically” rejects. They are seeking the death penalty if she is convicted.
The tribunal’s judgement, expected on Monday, has prompted heightened security across Dhaka. UN investigators say up to 1,400 people may have been killed as the government attempted to suppress the mass protests an estimate cited by rights groups that Hasina disputes.
Hasina fled to India and has refused to return for trial, arguing that she was denied the chance to appoint lawyers or defend herself. Leaked audio, verified by BBC Eye earlier this year, appeared to show her authorising the use of “lethal weapons” in July 2024, evidence played in court during the proceedings.
She was indicted alongside former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Prosecutors are seeking capital punishment for Kamal, who is in hiding; Al-Mamun pleaded guilty but has not yet been sentenced.
Hasina claims the case is part of a broader political effort to dismantle the Awami League, which has already been barred from contesting the upcoming general election. Her legal team has filed an urgent appeal to the United Nations citing serious fair-trial concerns.
Separate charges relating to alleged abuses including secret detention sites, enforced disappearances, and extra-judicial killings are set to be heard in another tribunal case. Hasina denies personal involvement, saying any wrongdoing by officials should be examined through a “neutral, depoliticised process.”
She and other former senior officials also face corruption trials in a separate court, allegations they similarly reject.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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