Dhaka | November 17, 2025

Bangladesh’s former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, now living in hiding in India, has denounced the court ruling that found her guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced her to death. Speaking through a statement released on Monday, she said the judgment was “biased and politically motivated” and part of a process she believes was designed to punish her long before any evidence was heard.

Hasina, 78, refused to return to Bangladesh despite court orders demanding her presence. The case focused on whether she directed a brutal crackdown on a student-led uprising that eventually forced her out of office. The movement, driven mainly by young activists, erupted with enormous intensity, and according to the United Nations, more than 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024.

She insisted she did not recognise the court’s authority, pointing out that it was created by an unelected interim government that, in her view, lacks any democratic legitimacy. Because she rejected the court, she was assigned a state lawyer, though she made it clear she considered the trial nothing more than a formality leading to a predetermined outcome.

In her statement, Hasina said she would willingly face a new trial—just not in Bangladesh. She urged authorities to take the case to the International Criminal Court in The Hague, arguing that only an independent global tribunal could fairly examine the evidence.

Her critics, however, have long accused her of clinging to power by suppressing political rivals, restricting press freedom, and allowing widespread human rights violations. Many believe the violence that took place during the 2024 unrest was the result of direct decisions made by her administration.

The situation has also sparked tension with India. Earlier this month, Bangladesh’s foreign ministry summoned India’s envoy in Dhaka, demanding that New Delhi stop Hasina from making public statements and giving interviews while she remains on Indian soil.

International analysts say the verdict will have major political consequences. The International Crisis Group noted that trials held in absentia often face criticism, especially when conducted quickly or with limited resources for the defence. Still, they warned that concerns about the process should not overshadow the severity of the actions attributed to Hasina during her time in power.

With the ruling now delivered, experts believe that any hope Hasina had of returning to Bangladeshi politics has become extremely unlikely. The verdict marks a dramatic fall for a leader who dominated the country’s political landscape for more than a decade, and it leaves Bangladesh facing deep uncertainty as it wrestles with both justice and political stability.

 Hasina Calls Verdict Unfair as Bangladesh Sentences Former PM to Death

Sheikh Hasina’s dramatic fall from power has taken another intense turn as she now calls the death sentence against her unfair and politically driven. From hiding in India, she insists the case was decided long before the trial even began, claiming the tribunal was set up by a government with no real mandate. The former prime minister, once one of the most influential figures in Bangladesh, continues to deny all charges related to the 2024 student uprising that left over a thousand people dead.

Her refusal to return to Bangladesh and her demand for an international trial have only deepened the debate. Critics say she ruled with an iron grip for years, while her supporters believe this verdict is a clear attempt to erase her legacy. With tensions rising between Bangladesh and India over her presence across the border, the situation is becoming more tangled each day.

Whatever one’s stance is, this case has changed the political landscape of Bangladesh in a way that few could have predicted. The future now feels uncertain, and the world is watching closely.