Bangladesh tribunal sentences Sheikh Hasina to six months for contempt of court
Former prime minister convicted in absentia after failing to respond to tribunal’s summons over controversial remarks
DHAKA, Bangladesh (MNTV) — Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal has sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to six months in jail for contempt of court—marking an unprecedented legal move against the ousted leader.
The verdict was issued Tuesday by the tribunal’s first bench (ICT-1), a three-member judicial panel led by Justice Md. Golam Mortuza Mozumder.
The court also sentenced banned student leader Shakil Akand Bulbul to two months’ imprisonment in the same case. Both sentences will take effect upon the arrest or voluntary surrender of the accused, the court ruled.
The contempt charges stem from a leaked phone call in which Hasina allegedly claimed to have received a “license to kill” 227 people—a statement the tribunal determined had undermined the integrity of judicial proceedings. The complaint was accepted in May, but neither Hasina nor Bulbul responded to official summons.
After multiple no-shows, the tribunal ordered public notices to be published in two national newspapers, Jugantor and New Age, on May 26, directing both individuals to appear in court by June 3. When they failed to comply, the trial proceeded in absentia.
To maintain procedural transparency, the court appointed senior lawyer A.Y. Moshiuzzaman as amicus curiae and Advocate Amir Hossain as state defence counsel after the originally appointed lawyer withdrew, citing a conflict of interest. Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam led the case for the prosecution.
The tribunal ruled that the accused had deliberately evaded the judicial process, despite multiple opportunities to present their defense. It found the former prime minister’s remarks constituted a serious affront to the court’s authority, warranting the contempt conviction.
While the contempt ruling marks a significant legal setback for the former prime minister, it may only be the beginning.
With investigations reportedly ongoing into alleged extrajudicial killings, corruption, and abuse of power during her tenure, legal experts suggest that Hasina could face far more serious charges in the months ahead.
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