Sheikh Hasina Faces Death Penalty Demands Amid Political Upheaval in Bangladesh

Sun Oct 19 2025 06:45:06 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

Prosecutors in Bangladesh have called for the death penalty for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she faces trial for crimes against humanity following her ousting amidst violent protests.

Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is facing severe legal repercussions following deadly protests that led to her removal from power. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty, citing her orders for violent crackdowns on demonstrators. As unrest erupted last July, Hasina fled to India and currently stands trial for her alleged role in the violence that resulted in over 1,400 deaths, making it one of the bloodiest phases in Bangladesh's recent history. With political tensions escalating, the upcoming elections in February are poised to further shape the country's future.

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, making it the worst violence Bangladesh had seen since its 1971 war of independence.

Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam stated that Hasina deserves 1,400 death sentences. 'Since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one,' he said.

Islam emphasized, '[Hasina's] goal was to cling to power permanently, for herself and her family,' adding that she has become a 'hardened criminal' showing no remorse for the brutality committed during her administration.

The protests began in July 2024 against civil service job quotas for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war but swiftly morphed into a mass uprising seeking to dethrone Hasina.

Some of the bloodiest scenes occurred on August 5, the day Hasina fled by helicopter, as crowds stormed her residence in Dhaka. A BBC investigation found that police killed at least 52 people on that day, marking one of the worst instances of police violence in Bangladesh's history.

Hasina's state-appointed defense lawyer argues that police were forced to open fire in response to violent actions from protesters.

Hasina, along with her ex-interior minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, is facing trial. Prosecutors have sought the death penalty for Kamal, who is also in hiding. Chowdhury pleaded guilty in July but has yet to be sentenced.

Additionally, Hasina has been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court and is facing separate corruption charges.

Bangladesh is set to hold its next elections in February, during which Hasina's rival party, the BNP, is the frontrunner as her party, Awami League, remains banned from all activities, including participating in elections.