Hasina Rejects Crimes Against Humanity Charges: Ousted Premier Condemns Trial as ‘Political Vendetta’
Former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her first comprehensive public statement since being indicted on five counts of crimes against humanity, has categorically rejected the charges, labelling the proceedings before the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in Dhaka as a “political witch hunt” orchestrated by the nation’s new interim government. The fugitive former premier, who fled Bangladesh in August 2024 following the massive student-led uprising, is facing trial in absentia over the systematic and widespread violence used to suppress the protests, a crackdown that international bodies claim led to hundreds of civilian deaths.
The charges against Ms. Hasina, who was indicted alongside her former Home Minister and police chief, centre on her alleged role as the “mastermind, conductor and superior commander” of the state’s response to the anti-government demonstrations that brought her fifteen-year authoritarian rule to an abrupt end. The prosecution at the ICT has detailed allegations including the mass killing of protesters, the use of drones and helicopters to fire on civilian crowds, and the incineration of bodies to destroy evidence. The charges rely heavily on a United Nations report, released in February 2025 by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which suggested a grim death toll of up to 1,400 civilians in the July-August 2024 unrest. The OHCHR previously voiced deep concern over the “excessive use of force” and “deliberate spread of misinformation” by the then-government, underscoring the necessity of accountability for human rights violations, especially for those with superior and command responsibility.
Speaking from an undisclosed location in India, where she has been granted a safe haven, Ms. Hasina’s state-appointed defence lawyer, Md Amir Hossain, has countered the prosecution’s narrative, arguing that her actions did not meet the rigorous legal threshold for crimes against humanity. “For an act to be considered a crime against humanity, there must be an intent or effort to annihilate a community, nation, or group, as Hitler did. But here, that does not apply,” Hossain stated, insisting that the former leader was forced to leave the country in a deteriorating security situation, not to flee justice. He firmly denied any conspiracy, planning, or direct instruction from his client that led to the “widespread, systematic use of lethal weapons, murder, attempted murder, [or] torture.”
This defiant stance comes at a critical juncture for Bangladesh, which is currently governed by an interim administration led by Nobel laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus. The Yunus government has pledged to hold free and fair elections by February 2026 and has made accountability for past abuses a central pillar of its mandate. However, the trial of Ms. Hasina, a former leader of the now-banned Awami League party, has inflamed an already deeply fractured political landscape. The Awami League has vehemently condemned the ICT proceedings as a “farce,” accusing the interim authorities of weaponising the judiciary for political vengeance by “anti-liberation” forces. This deep rift poses a substantial challenge to the stability of the transition, especially as the Yunus administration attempts to forge a national consensus on systemic reforms and electoral rules.
The prosecution’s case, which concluded its arguments last week with the Chief Prosecutor requesting the maximum penalty, has sought to paint a clear picture of a coordinated state-sponsored attack. During the trial, which has been partially televised nationwide, the prosecution presented evidence including surveillance footage, drone logs, and hospital records, arguing that the violence was a joint operation by state forces and the ruling party’s student wing, suggesting a planned policy of violence against unarmed civilians. In a chilling reflection of the alleged severity of the crimes, a UN Fact Finding Report, cited in the courtroom, underscored the argument that the magnitude of the killings was “widespread,” taking place throughout the country, and “systematic” due to the involvement of state-affiliated groups using similar tactics and weapons, which included the authorities allegedly denying medical treatment to the injured.
The international human rights community has monitored the developments closely. While groups like Human Rights Watch (HRW) initially supported the establishment of the ICT, which was originally set up by Ms. Hasina in 2009 to prosecute crimes from the 1971 War of Independence, they have since raised objections over issues of fairness, transparency, and reported harassment of lawyers in earlier cases. More recently, in a joint letter to Chief Adviser Yunus, HRW urged the Interim Government to ensure the ICT has the “legal framework, resources, and independence to conduct fair prosecutions that adhere to international standards for all alleged perpetrators, regardless of their institutional or political affiliation.” They have also called for broader reforms, including disbanding the controversial Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and limiting the powers of the Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), which have long been associated with human rights abuses and alleged enforced disappearances. This plea highlights the difficult balance the interim government must strike: pursuing justice for past crimes without resorting to the very authoritarian tactics it seeks to eliminate.
Meanwhile, the former premier’s party continues to contest the legality of the trial and its own proscription. The Awami League was banned from political activities in May 2025 under the Anti-Terrorism Act, pending the completion of trials against its leaders. The ban was immediately challenged by the party’s General Secretary, Obaidul Quader, who declared the move a “flagrant violation of democratic norms.” The political uncertainty is further compounded by the interim government’s focus on implementing a new charter and establishing commissions for police, judicial, and electoral reform. These efforts, while welcomed by many, have not been immune to criticism from domestic observers who note that systemic issues in governance and corruption remain largely unaddressed, potentially undermining the democratic aspirations of the uprising.
As the ICT prepares to announce the date of its judgement, the trial of Sheikh Hasina remains a powerful symbol of Bangladesh’s volatile political and human rights landscape. For the families of the victims of the 2024 crackdown, justice is paramount. For the former premier and her supporters, the trial represents a dangerous precedent of political score-settling. And for the foreign press and the international community, the proceedings are a definitive test of the new government’s commitment to due process and human rights standards, determining whether the former leader will be held accountable for her alleged actions during one of the deadliest periods in the country’s modern history.