Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sentenced to Death: A Controversial Verdict

A Bangladeshi court sentenced former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death on Monday for crimes against humanity. The ruling comes months after mass protests forced her from power and into exile, marking a dramatic turn in the country's political landscape.

Judge Golam Mortoza Mozumder delivered the verdict in a packed Dhaka courtroom, saying Hasina was "convicted on three charges" including incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent atrocities. "We have decided to impose one punishment on her, which is death," he announced during the live-streamed proceedings.

The court also sentenced former Interior Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death in the same case. A third defendant, a former police chief, received five years in prison after becoming a state witness against Hasina and pleading guilty.

Security forces flooded Dhaka and other parts of Bangladesh ahead of the verdict. The interim government deployed soldiers, paramilitary border guards, and police across the capital as authorities braced for potential unrest.

Hasina fled Bangladesh in August after weeks of student-led protests against her government turned deadly. What began as demonstrations against a quota system for government jobs evolved into a broader movement demanding her resignation. The unrest killed hundreds of people, many of them students and protesters.

The 77-year-old former leader, who ruled Bangladesh for 15 years, is currently in India. She faces multiple cases related to the deaths during the protests that ended her tenure. Her Awami League party dominated Bangladeshi politics for over a decade, but critics accused her government of becoming increasingly authoritarian.

This verdict represents the interim government's efforts to hold Hasina accountable for the violence that marked her final months in power. But the death sentence is largely symbolic since she remains outside Bangladesh's reach. The case highlights how quickly political fortunes can shift in South Asia, where former leaders often face legal challenges after losing power.