The Chief Prosecutor of Bangladesh's International Crimes Tribunal warned 79-year-old former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina that if she returns to Bangladesh, she will be immediately executed by hanging after missing the 30-day legal deadline to appeal her sentence. This follows her conviction for crimes against humanity related to ordering a crackdown on protesters in 2024. Meanwhile, the government denies issuing a passport to the death row convict.
The Bangladesh prosecutor who prosecuted Sheikh Hasina, the ousted former prime minister, confirmed that if Hasina returns to Bangladesh, she will face enforcement of the death penalty as per the court ruling, stating she has no remaining legal avenues to appeal the case.
MD Aminul Islam, head prosecutor of Bangladesh’s International Crimes Tribunal, told reporters that Hasina missed the deadline to file an appeal, which the law requires be submitted within 30 days from the announcement of the verdict.
He said that if Hasina truly intends to return, she should have done so while the case was ongoing to attend hearings and defend herself, or returned within 30 days after the verdict to file an appeal. Aminul also suggested that certain individuals within the Awami League party might be using Hasina as a political tool to destabilize Bangladesh.
Hasina, aged 79, was sentenced to death in Dhaka in November 2025 for three counts of crimes against humanity: incitement, ordering killings, and failure to prevent atrocities during the crackdown on protesters in 2024.
That protest led to the end of Hasina’s 15-year rule after the government used force to suppress the uprising. The United Nations estimated that approximately 1,400 people died during the crackdown.
Hasina fled to India by helicopter in August 2024 after protesters stormed her residence and has since remained there, rarely appearing publicly except for occasional interviews or phone statements.
She has repeatedly declared plans to return to Bangladesh in December, acknowledging she understands she may face execution but insisting that “fear cannot dictate one’s duty to the people.”
Hasina refused a court order last year to return to participate in hearings investigating whether she was responsible as a commander for the bloody student-led crackdown. Witnesses included a man whose face was severely disfigured by gunfire.
She was assigned state-appointed lawyers to defend her and dismissed the trial process as a “legal farce.”
Previously, critics accused Hasina of arresting political opponents, imposing strict media controls, and presiding over a government widely accused of human rights abuses, including the killing of opposition activists.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Ministry has filed an extradition request to India to bring Hasina back to enforce the verdict. The Indian government stated the request is under legal review. Hasina’s presence in India has also strained relations between the two neighboring countries.
Sahed Ur Rahman, the Information and Broadcasting Advisor to Bangladesh’s Prime Minister, said on 10 November that reports claiming Hasina applied for a passport were incorrect. He explained that a law firm had sent a letter to the government requesting a passport be issued for Hasina, but such applications must be made by the individual herself. Hasina did not apply personally, so there is no need to pursue the matter further.
Rahman stated that having or lacking a passport is not an obstacle to repatriating Hasina, as the government has already filed an extradition request with India and the process is backed by legal frameworks allowing the return of convicts to Bangladesh.
He emphasized that Hasina was not convicted of a common crime or murder but of a more serious offense—crimes against humanity. Citing Article 47 of the Bangladesh Constitution, he noted that persons convicted of crimes against humanity are barred from claiming certain fundamental rights.
In addition to the crimes against humanity case, Hasina faces several other charges, including allegations of corruption.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s advisor addressed recent arson and bottle bomb incidents, acknowledging these events may cause public insecurity. He assured that the government is working swiftly to control the situation and that some perpetrators were caught in the act.
He denied that such violence reflects intelligence failures, stating that security agencies prevent many incidents before they occur, though those successes often go unreported. He urged the public not to panic.
.SourceThe Daily Star/AFP