Sheikh Hasina reacts to death sentence verdict
What's the story
Former Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina has reacted to the death sentence handed to her by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) after she was found guilty of crimes against humanity for the violent suppression of student-led protests last year. In a statement, she said the "verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate. They are biased and politically motivated."
Statement
Hasina refutes death toll
She also said that she was not given a fair chance to defend herself in court. She said she was "not afraid to face my accusers in proper tribunal where evidence can be weighed, tested fairly," adding her government "lost control of the situation but (it) cannot characterize what happened as premeditated assault on citizens." Further, she refuted the UN's data that over 1,400 people were killed, stating that the country's own Ministry of Health verified that number as 834.
Twitter Post
Statement by Hasina
Bangladesh ex-PM Sheikh Hasina Hasina Comments on the International Crimes Tribunal and the Verdicts Against Her
— IANS (@ians_india) November 17, 2025
She says, ''The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic… pic.twitter.com/lah0L7zsqo
Protest
How protest escalated
What began as peaceful student protests against civil service job quotas escalated into a nationwide call for Hasina's resignation. The turning point was a government crackdown that may have killed up to 1,400 people, according to the UN human rights agency. Hasina faced five charges, most of which were related to instigating the murder of protestors, ordering their execution, and authorizing the use of lethal weaponry, drones, and helicopters to quell the protest.
Verdict reaction
Courtroom erupts in applause as judges deliver verdict
After a year-long trial, a panel of three judges said it was "crystal clear" that Hasina ordered the killing and elimination of protesting students. Judge Golam Mortuza Mozumder said Hasina was "found guilty on three counts," which include incitement, ordering to kill and failing to take any action to prevent the atrocities. "We have decided to inflict her with only one sentence...sentence of death," he said. The courtroom erupted in applause from victims' families present when the sentence was announced.
Charges detailed
Hasina's charges and self-imposed exile
Since her ouster in 2024, Hasina has been living in self-imposed exile in New Delhi, India. India had supported Hasina during her 15 years in power. It was also where she had spent several years in exile following the 1975 military coup in which her father, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh, her mother, and three brothers were assassinated. The interim Bangladeshi government has sought her extradition, but India is yet to respond to the request.
Pre-verdict violence
Violence erupts in Dhaka ahead of verdict
Ahead of the verdict, violence broke out in Dhaka with Molotov cocktails being thrown at police. Security was tightened around the courthouse with armored vehicles and riot shield officers deployed. Hasina's son warned that protests could turn violent if her party's ban isn't lifted before next year's elections. He said "Our protests are going to get stronger and stronger," adding there would be "confrontations."