Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) has issued a formal summons for former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, now a fugitive, to return and face trial on charges of crimes against humanity stemming from a deadly crackdown on protesters last year.
Hasina, 77, fled Dhaka by helicopter to India in August 2024 amid a massive, student-led uprising. According to United Nations reports, as many as 1,400 people were killed between July and August 2024, during what observers described as a violent attempt by her government to hold onto power.
The tribunal is prosecuting Hasina and former senior officials of her now-banned Awami League party, with five charges filed that include abetment, incitement, conspiracy, complicity, facilitation, and failure to prevent mass murder — all under Bangladesh’s legal definition of crimes against humanity.
“The court directed the prosecution to issue a notice as soon as possible summoning them to appear,” said Chief Prosecutor Muhammad Tajul Islam.
The tribunal has set June 24 as the date for proceedings to resume — with or without Hasina’s presence.
Hasina stands trial alongside two other former top officials: Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, former interior minister, who is also in hiding, and ex-police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al Mamun, who is currently in custody and appeared in court Monday.
The prosecution contends that Hasina gave direct orders via the interior ministry and police chain of command to suppress the protest movement with lethal force.
The case has become a central issue in Bangladesh’s tense political environment, with several rival parties pushing for accountability. The current interim government, which took over after the collapse of Hasina’s administration, has pledged to hold elections by April 2026, though some opposition parties are calling for an earlier vote.
The legal action against Hasina and her top allies marks a dramatic and unprecedented turn in Bangladeshi politics, raising the stakes ahead of the next electoral cycle and underscoring growing demands for justice and democratic reform.