Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is now at the center of an explosive international trial, charged with crimes against humanity for her alleged role in orchestrating violent crackdowns during the 2024 student-led uprising.
Prosecutors say Hasina, who stepped down from power in August after 15 years of rule, directly ordered security forces and allied political groups to carry out deadly operations that left an estimated 1,500 people dead and over 25,000 injured. An official investigation claims the attacks were not only sanctioned but meticulously planned under her watch.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam revealed during a televised court session that video footage and encrypted communications offer damning evidence that links Hasina to coordinated efforts aimed at suppressing dissent. “These killings were planned,” Islam stated, underscoring the calculated nature of the response to the uprising.
The case will feature 81 witnesses, and prosecutors argue that Hasina, as head of government at the time, bears full command responsibility for the actions of the state apparatus. Two senior officials from her administration are also facing similar charges.
Following weeks of massive protests demanding her resignation, Hasina fled to New Delhi amid mounting pressure from civil society and opposition groups. In addition to the charges stemming from the crackdown, she and several family members are under investigation for alleged corruption during her tenure.
The trial, unfolding under intense global scrutiny, marks a historic moment for Bangladesh as it confronts the legacy of one of its most dominant political figures — now accused of ordering state-sponsored violence on a catastrophic scale.