Hasina’s In-Absentia Trial: 1400 Deaths Haunt Bangladesh’s Past
Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) commenced an in-absentia trial against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on August 3, 2025. The charges relate to alleged crimes against humanity during the 2024 protests.
Several former government officials are co-accused in this high-profile case. The prosecution alleges that Hasina ordered a brutal crackdown on protestors, resulting in the deaths of approximately 1,400 individuals.
Sheikh Hasina and another key accused, Kamal, remain in self-imposed exile. Another accused, Mamun, has surprisingly turned state witness.
Simultaneously, student groups and activists from the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) staged demonstrations across the country, expressing their outrage and demanding justice.
This trial reignites a deeply divisive chapter in Bangladeshi history, with profound implications for the nation’s political landscape and its ongoing struggle for accountability and reconciliation. The outcome will undoubtedly shape the future trajectory of Bangladeshi politics for years to come.
