Bangladesh prosecutors seek death penalty for Hasina over 2024 killings
Chief prosecutor tells war crimes tribunal former prime minister and ex–home minister bear command responsibility for mass killings during student revolt
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has concluded prosecution arguments in a landmark case accusing former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her onetime home minister Asaduzzaman Khan of crimes against humanity during the 2024 uprising that ended Hasina’s 17-year rule.
Chief prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam on Thursday urged the tribunal to impose death sentences, alleging that both leaders exercised command responsibility for the killing of about 1,400 people and injuries to 25,000 others during the 36-day student-led revolt that toppled Hasina’s government on August 5, 2024.
The three-member tribunal, headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, heard Tajul’s closing arguments over five days. He said Hasina and Khan “failed to prevent or punish” security forces accused of opening fire on protesters and orchestrating mass arrests.
Tajul said the prosecution would not seek punishment for former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, the only accused present in court, noting that he had cooperated with investigators and provided key testimony as an approver. The tribunal will decide his fate at sentencing.
Court officials said state-appointed defence lawyer Amir Hossain, representing the absconding Hasina and Khan, is expected to begin arguments on Monday. Once both sides complete submissions, judges will announce a date for the verdict.
This is the first case involving Hasina to reach the verdict stage among ten ongoing cases before Bangladesh’s two international crimes tribunals, including separate proceedings over enforced disappearances and other alleged abuses during the 2024 unrest.
Nearly 100 former officials, including senior Awami League figures and law enforcement officers from Hasina’s administration, are currently facing trial across multiple cases.
The proceedings mark a dramatic chapter in Bangladesh’s post-uprising reckoning, with prosecutors arguing that the violent suppression of the student movement amounted to crimes against humanity under international law.
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