Overview
- Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal convicted Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan in absentia and imposed death sentences, while ex–police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al‑Mamun received five years after cooperating.
- The verdict stems from the 2024 crackdown on student protests, with casualty estimates ranging from more than 800 cited by interim authorities to up to about 1,400 reported by the United Nations.
- Dhaka formally asked New Delhi to hand over Hasina and Khan, but India has only noted the ruling so far as its extradition treaty allows refusals on grounds such as political character or requests deemed unjust or oppressive.
- The U.N. human rights office and groups including Amnesty International questioned fair‑trial standards for an in absentia capital case, and Hasina can appeal only if she is arrested or surrenders within the tribunal’s window.
- Street clashes, shutdown calls and heavy security followed the televised ruling, deepening polarization as Bangladesh heads toward February 2026 elections with the Awami League excluded from the contest.