Bangladesh: Former Prime Minister Convicted of Crimes Against Humanity

SadaNews - A court in Bangladesh issued a ruling on Monday convicting former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed of committing crimes against humanity, concluding a trial that lasted for several months. This decision is based on the suppression of a student uprising in 2024, which resulted in the deaths of approximately 1,400 people according to a UN report.

Her son, Sajeeb Wazed, had warned of the possibility of a death sentence being handed down to his mother, asserting that she is safe in exile in India, and threatening to disrupt the elections scheduled for February if the ban on her party, the "Awami League," continues.

He added that party supporters would not allow the elections to proceed, warning of escalating protests.

A government spokesperson rejected Wazed's warnings, deeming any incitement to violence by exiled political figures as "irresponsible and reprehensible."

Sheikh Hasina (78 years old) has been living in exile in New Delhi since August 2024, following the end of her 15-year rule. She denies the accusations, considering the trial to be politically motivated.

Dhaka is currently experiencing a serious security escalation, with explosions, bus burnings, and arrests of party activists, while schools have shifted to remote learning, and additional forces have been deployed at the borders, tightening checkpoints and prohibiting gatherings.

Analysts believe that Hasina remains a divisive figure, and any speech from her from India could ignite unrest, while her son's threats indicate the party's intention to use violence in the upcoming elections.

Conversely, the government of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus faces criticism due to its human rights record, despite its insistence on its commitment to holding elections and referendums on constitutional reforms in February 2026.

The rights organization Odhikar documented 40 extrajudicial killings from August 2024 to September 2025, despite Yunus's government promises to end state violence, while the same security forces accused of committing abuses during Hasina's rule, including the paramilitary Rapid Action Battalion, continue to operate.