Sheikh Hasina charged with crimes against humanity over 2024 unrest

Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been formally accused of crimes against humanity by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT), reported IANS. The charges stem from her alleged involvement in orchestrating the widespread violence during the nationwide unrest in July 2024.

The indictment, which became public on Sunday, marks a pivotal moment in the country’s political history, as legal proceedings against the exiled leader have begun with live coverage on national television.

Hasina is being tried alongside former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, who are also listed as co-accused. During Sunday’s tribunal session, prosecutors submitted the formal charge sheet, asserting that Hasina played a key role in inciting the deadly crackdown that unfolded across the country during July and August of last year.

Citing an investigation report filed on May 12, The Dhaka Tribune noted that Hasina had "directly ordered" the killings during the period of unrest. Prosecutors allege that she directed law enforcement agencies, party workers, and affiliated groups to carry out aggressive suppression tactics against intensifying anti-government protests.

"These killings were planned," stated Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam during the widely watched hearing. He showcased video footage and encrypted messages, claiming they served as proof of Hasina’s leadership in organising a “coordinated, widespread and systematic attack.”

Prosecution officials argued that as the Prime Minister at the time, Hasina held command responsibility for the violent actions carried out by state forces during the peak of the turmoil. "She unleashed all law enforcement agencies and her armed party members to crush the uprising," Tajul Islam told the tribunal.

This indictment follows the interim government's recent move—led by Muhammad Yunus—to ban all activities of Hasina’s party, the Awami League, under the Anti-Terrorism Act. The protests that began in early 2024 were initially student-led, targeting a contentious job quota policy. However, the demonstrations soon escalated into a mass movement calling for Hasina’s resignation.

Hasina resigned under mounting pressure by August 5 and fled to New Delhi, where she has remained in voluntary exile. In October 2024, the ICT issued a warrant for her arrest and formally sought her extradition from India.