Dhaka: Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been officially charged with crimes against humanity in connection with the violent suppression of student-led protests in 2024. The charges were announced during a nationally televised hearing on Sunday, marking a major moment in Bangladesh’s political history.
Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam told the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) that Hasina directly ordered coordinated attacks on protesters using state forces and party-backed groups. The indictment is based on encrypted messages, drone footage, eyewitness accounts, and military command records.
“The attacks were not spontaneous—they were planned and systematically executed to silence dissent,” Islam stated.
This is the first time in Bangladesh that such charges have been broadcast live. Alongside Hasina, two top officials have also been named in the case, which includes testimony from 81 witnesses.
Hasina, who stepped down in August 2024 amid mass demonstrations after 15 years in power, is currently in New Delhi. She is also under investigation for alleged corruption.
The 2024 protests erupted over student opposition to public job quotas and escalated into nationwide unrest. According to United Nations reports, around 1,400 people were killed during July and August, in what is considered the deadliest political violence since the country’s 1971 war of independence.
In a related case, eight police officers are on trial for the alleged killing of six protesters on August 5—the day Hasina left the country. Four officers are in custody, while the others are being tried in absentia.
