Bangladesh: Death sentence in absentia for Sheikh Hasina
What's the story
Sheikh Hasina, the ousted leader of Bangladesh, has been sentenced to death in absentia for crimes against humanity. The sentence was handed down by a Dhaka court in November 2025, which found her guilty of incitement, ordering killings, and failing to prevent atrocities during a crackdown on protesters in 2024. The prosecutor Md Aminul Islam has warned that Hasina will be executed if she returns to Bangladesh from her self-imposed exile in India.
Exile details
Hasina fled to India in August 2024
Hasina fled to India in August 2024 amid a mass uprising against her rule.
She has since remained in hiding, occasionally addressing the media via telephone.
Despite her intention to return to Bangladesh in December, she missed the 30-day deadline for appealing her conviction.
"Sheikh Hasina has no option but to face the execution of the verdict," Islam said, adding that she now has no legal recourse left.
Trial and extradition
Trial was a 'jurisprudential joke': Hasina
Hasina was tried in absentia after she defied court orders to return for her trial.
The trial was criticized by Hasina as a "jurisprudential joke."
Witnesses testified about the violence during the crackdown, which left up to 1,400 people dead according to the United Nations.
Bangladesh has sought her extradition from India, with relations between the two countries remaining strained over her continued presence in the country.
Accusations and response
Critics accuse Hasina of human rights abuses
Critics have accused Hasina of jailing political rivals, enacting harsh anti-press laws, and overseeing human rights abuses.
She faces several other cases, including corruption charges.
Despite the risks, she has vowed to return to Bangladesh in December, saying "fear cannot decide" her "duty to the people."
In an email interview with the Associated Press, Hasina wrote, "If death is my destiny, I would rather die on the soil of my own country, among my people."