Prosecutors in Bangladesh have demanded that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be put to death over a deadly crackdown on student-led protests last year that ousted her from power.
Hasina, who has fled to India, is on trial for crimes against humanity. According to a leaked audio clip, she ordered security forces to use lethal weapons against protesters. She denies the charges.
Up to 1,400 people were killed in weeks of unrest that ended Hasina's 15-year rule, marking the worst violence Bangladesh had seen since its 1971 war of independence.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam stated, Hasina deserves 1,400 death sentences; since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one. He argued that Hasina aimed to cling to power at any cost and has shown no remorse for the brutality of her actions.
The protests began in July 2024 against civil service job quotas for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war but escalated into a mass movement demanding Hasina's ouster. Notably bloody incidents occurred on August 5, 2024, when police killed at least 52 people amid violent clashes, prompting Hasina to flee by helicopter as crowds stormed her residence in Dhaka.
Her appointed defense lawyer claims police were compelled to use force due to violent provocations from protesters.
In addition to the current trial, Hasina has previously been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court and faces separate corruption charges.
The political landscape in Bangladesh is shifting as the country approaches elections scheduled for February, with Hasina's rival party, BNP, positioned as the frontrunner. Meanwhile, the Awami League, Hasina's party, has been banned from participating in political activities.
