The Nepal Weekly 
November 18, 2025
Bangladesh’s ex-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by a court.
A special tribunal found she was responsible for ordering a violent crackdown on student-led protests last year, during which at least 800 people were killed. However, the UN estimates the death toll to 1,400, most by gunfire from security forces.
Hasina was tried in her absence as she is living in exile in India, where she has been since being forced to exit from power. The verdict will put India under pressure to extradite Hasina but it is unlikely to happen.
The Dhaka-based International Crimes Tribunal also sentenced ex- Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan to death for his involvement in the use of deadly weapons against protesters.
In comments to the BBC last week, Hasina described the trial in her absence as a “kangaroo court”. Security has been beefed up across Bangladesh over fears of a backlash, with some protests already breaking out Monday morning.
