International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh Orders Trial Against Former PM Sheikh Hasina for July 2024 Crackdown


📌 Background: Uprising Against Hasina in 2024

In a major legal and political development, the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) of Bangladesh has ordered the initiation of a formal trial against former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The charges stem from her alleged role in orchestrating a brutal crackdown during the student-led July Movement of 2024, which ultimately led to her ouster and exile from the country.

The July Movement was a nationwide student-led uprising that erupted over economic stagnation, youth unemployment, and alleged authoritarian governance under Hasina's leadership. The movement was met with aggressive state action, leading to reports of civilian deaths, arbitrary arrests, and state-sponsored violence.

📌 Charges Filed by ICT

On July 10, 2025, the International Crimes Tribunal, a special court in Bangladesh designed to try war crimes and crimes against humanity, formally charged:

  • Former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina

  • Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal

  • Former Inspector General of Police Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun

The charges include crimes against humanity, mass murder, and the burning of bodies allegedly committed under direct or indirect orders from Hasina during the suppression of the 2024 mass protests.


📌 Tribunal Composition and Schedule

The three-member tribunal is headed by Justice Md Golam Mortuza Mozumder. The bench has brought five charges against the accused, and has scheduled the prosecution's opening statement hearings for August 3 and 4, 2025.

Notably, only one of the accused, Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun, appeared in court during the preliminary hearing.

📌 Contempt of Court Conviction

In a separate but related development, on July 9, 2025, the ICT sentenced Sheikh Hasina to six months' imprisonment in a contempt of court case. The contempt charges were filed by Chief Prosecutor Tajul Islam after Hasina and Awami League leader Shakil Alam Bulbul made statements considered derogatory and prejudicial regarding the July uprising case proceedings.

Senior lawyer A Y Moshiuzzaman was appointed as amicus curiae (friend of the court) for a full legal hearing on the contempt matter.

📌 Formal Allegations Against Hasina

According to the prosecution, Sheikh Hasina was the "mastermind" of the state's violent response to the July Movement. The allegations include:

  • Directly ordering security forces to shoot protesters.

  • Organizing state-level crimes against humanity, including murders and burning of bodies.

  • Facilitating state terror tactics aimed at silencing dissent.

These acts, according to formal court filings, were coordinated and executed under Hasina’s leadership, marking some of the gravest charges ever filed against a former Bangladeshi head of government.

📌 Political Shift After Hasina’s Ouster

Following Hasina’s removal from office in August 2024, an interim national government was formed under Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus, marking a turning point in Bangladesh's political history. Yunus, known for his work in microfinance and civil society reforms, has taken a transitional leadership role aimed at rebuilding democratic institutions and holding past actors accountable.

📌 Implications of the Trial

This case could redefine:

  • Transitional justice mechanisms in South Asia

  • The legacy of Sheikh Hasina’s political era

  • The independence of judicial institutions in post-Hasina Bangladesh

  • Student-led political movements as instruments of change

It also underscores the shift in Bangladesh’s legal and governance priorities, as a former head of government faces criminal prosecution for actions taken while in power.

🔎 What’s Next?

The tribunal's scheduled hearings in early August will mark the beginning of what could be a landmark trial in Bangladesh's post-conflict jurisprudence. While Hasina remains abroad, the court may proceed in absentia depending on procedural rules.

If the charges are upheld, this could lead to a long-term sentence and a permanent ban on political activity for Sheikh Hasina and others found guilty.


Location: Pune, Maharashtra, India

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