Crimes against humanity: Tribunal starts Hasina trial

Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) on Sunday commenced the trial of deposed Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in absentia over crimes against humanity related to the violent suppression of the 2024 student-led protests.

- Agencies

According to a UN rights office report, up to 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15 last year as Hasina’s government ordered a security crackdown on protesters.

The interim government-appointed chief prosecutor, Tajul Islam, in his opening statement, described Hasina as the “nucleus of all crimes” and called for the maximum penalty. The prosecution also named Hasina’s two top aides — former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullaah Al Mamun —as the co-accused in the case.

The ICT commenced the proceedings against Hasina on several charges, with the major one being killings and tortures to tame last year’s Students Against Discrimination (SAD)-led violent street campaign that eventually toppled her Awami League government on August 5, 2024.

While Hasina and Kamal are being tried in absentia, Mamun is in custody and has agreed to be the “approver” in the case.

The prosecution said it would present testimonies from individuals injured during the protests and eyewitnesses to the violence in the coming days.

First witness testifies

The first witness, among the 11 cases that the prosecution is expected to present to the court, was Khokon Chandra Barman, whose story reflects the violence of the protests.