Historic Verdict: Former Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina Wazed Sentenced to Death for 1,400 Fatalities

A Bangladeshi War Crimes Tribunal delivered one of the most severe verdicts in the nation's history, sentencing former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed to death in absentia. The verdict, handed down today, Monday, finds Wazed directly responsible for the killing of an estimated 1,400 people during the student protests that led to the collapse of her government last year.

Wazed, who is 78 years old and one of the most powerful and enduring figures in Bangladesh's history, served as Prime Minister from 1996–2001 and again from 2009 until her ouster in August 2024. She was accused of issuing direct orders for the violent suppression of the student uprising, which marked the nation's worst political violence since its 1971 War of Independence.

Historic Verdict and Wazed’s Denial

This is the most severe sentence ever issued against a national leader in Bangladesh. Wazed fled to India in August 2024 at the height of the uprising. Responding to the ruling, Wazed released a statement dismissing the proceedings as a "fabricated court" and "politically motivated." She accused the current interim government of attempting a political assassination of her party, the Awami League.

The interim government, led by Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, called the ruling "historic" but urged the public to maintain restraint and warned it would firmly respond to any attempts to destabilize public order.

The War Crimes Tribunal convicted Wazed on three counts: incitement, ordering killings, and failure to prevent atrocities. UN reports presented during the trial estimated that between July 15 and August 5 last year, up to 1,400 people were killed and thousands injured, primarily by security forces' fire. The prosecution argued it had evidence of a "direct order" from Wazed to use lethal force against the students.

Extradition Request and Public Tension

Immediately following the sentence, Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry formally requested that India extradite Wazed and her former Home Minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, who was also sentenced to death in the same case. Delhi stated it would "review the matter" and act "constructively," but provided no further details.

The ruling has intensified already high tensions across Bangladesh, which is preparing for elections scheduled for next February.

Wazed's son has warned that widespread violence could erupt if the ban on his mother's Awami League party from contesting the upcoming elections is not lifted.