Ex-Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina's trial begins, charged with crimes against humanity

Apart from Hasina, who fled Bangladesh amid severe protests against her government on August 5, 2024, ex-home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal and ex-IGP Chowdhury Mamun were named as co-accused.

Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam submitted the complaint to the tribunal. Bangladesh Television (BTV), the country's national broadcaster, is broadcasting the proceedings live, reported The Daily Star.

The investigation agency of the tribunal submitted its probe report on May 12 against ex-Prime Minister Hasina.

Hasina is already facing two other cases filed with the ICT -- one over alleged involvement in enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings during the Awami League rule, and the other over killings during the 2013 Hefazat-e-Islam rally at Shapla Chattar in Motijheel, reported The Daily Star.

Violent Demonstrations End Her 15-Year-Tenure

Hasina, the longest-serving PM of Bangladesh, escaped to India on August 5, 2024 after ruling the nation for 15 years.

She left the country amid violent demonstrations against her government, with the protesters demanding her resignation.

The protest, which initially began as a protest against a job quota issue, soon turned into a massive agitation against Hasina and her Awami League-led government.

After her exit, Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus took charge of the interim government.

February Report

A new report by UN Human Rights found that the security and intelligence services of Bangladesh’s former Government killed as many as 1,400 people – as many as 12-13 per cent of whom were children – and arbitrarily arrested or detained more than 11,700 others during student-led protests that took place between 1 July and 15 August 2024.

Bangladesh Police reported that 44 of its officers were killed.