Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was sentenced to six months in prison on Wednesday by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) in a contempt of court case. The verdict was delivered by a three-member bench headed by Chairman Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder, according to reports by The Dhaka Tribune. This marks the first time Hasina, ousted from office and living in exile, has been convicted since fleeing Bangladesh nearly a year ago. Alongside Hasina, Shakil Akand Bulbul of Gobindaganj in Gaibandha was also sentenced to two months in prison in the same case, highlighting the tribunal’s ongoing efforts to address charges linked to recent unrest.
Earlier in June, the ICT formally charged Sheikh Hasina with crimes against humanity related to her alleged role in orchestrating a brutal crackdown on nationwide protests during July and August 2024. Chief Prosecutor Mohammad Tajul Islam and his team accused Hasina of being the chief instigator behind the systemic attack on mass protests against her government. The protests, which erupted into widespread violence, saw curfews imposed and an intense government response. According to a UN rights office report, approximately 1,400 people were killed between July 15 and August 15, 2024, during retaliatory violence that extended even after the regime’s collapse.
