Bangladesh witnessed massive unrest on Monday as clashes broke out across Dhaka and several other regions following the International Crimes Tribunal’s death penalty verdict against ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The ruling, linked to charges of incitement, killings and failure to prevent atrocities during the student-led uprising of 2024, triggered violent confrontations between Awami League supporters, rival groups, and security forces. Two people lost their lives as highways were blocked, marches intensified and police responded with batons, tear gas and sound grenades to control the chaos. Videos circulating online showed protesters being chased by police and explosions echoing throughout the capital, underscoring the scale of the turmoil.
Tension escalated particularly around Dhanmondi 32, home to Bangladesh’s founding leader Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, as demonstrators attempted to march toward the property. Supporters of the banned Awami League clashed with members of Jatiya Chhatra Shakti, the group formed by coordinators of the 2024 uprising that toppled Hasina’s government. Ahead of the verdict, the Awami League had already declared a nationwide bandh, alleging the trial was politically motivated and designed to eliminate Hasina from Bangladesh’s political future.
The tribunal convicted Hasina now 78 and living in exile in New Delhi on three major charges, while former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan also received a death sentence. Former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun was sentenced to five years after turning state witness. The verdict comes just months before Bangladesh’s parliamentary elections and is expected to reshape the nation’s political landscape dramatically. Hasina rejected the ruling as biased and undemocratic, while interim leader Muhammad Yunus welcomed the decision, claiming it reinforced accountability for those in power.
Following the ruling, Bangladesh formally asked India to return Hasina and her aide Kamal over their alleged roles in the deadly July crackdown on student protesters. India responded by stating it had taken note of the verdict and reaffirmed its commitment to peace, democracy and stability in Bangladesh. As violence continues to spread and political tensions surge, Bangladesh faces one of its most volatile moments in recent memory, with both regional and domestic implications now unfolding rapidly.
