Bangladesh hands death sentences to 7 aides of ousted Prime Minister Hasina
Al Jazeera
β’Tue, 15 Sep 2026 13:40:32 +0000
π° What Happened
A three-member tribunal in Dhaka headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury sentenced seven aides of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia on Tuesday, convicting them of crimes against humanity including murder and of instigating and provoking killings during the crackdown on the 2024 uprising. Those convicted include former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader. Sixty-eight people have been convicted in cases related to the crackdown and 22 have been given death sentences, though only four are currently in custody. Hasina, 78, was sentenced to death in absentia last November for her role in the crackdown. A state-appointed defence lawyer said the seven men were not directly involved in the killings.
π The Backstory
Student-led protests over government job quotas erupted in July 2024 and escalated into a nationwide uprising that left hundreds dead. Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after 15 years in power, an interim government took over, and elections followed. Bangladesh's tribunal system, descended from the International Crimes Tribunal used for 1971 war crimes cases, has been used to prosecute those accused of ordering and directing the crackdown. Most of the accused remain outside the country, and India has not extradited Hasina.
π― Why It Matters
The verdicts are part of an unusually rapid accountability process, but their practical reach is limited while most of those convicted are abroad and cannot be arrested. They will shape the political future of the Awami League, which has been marginalised since Hasina's ouster. The cases also weigh on Bangladesh's relations with India, where Hasina remains. For victims' families, the proceedings are the main official reckoning so far with the killings.
A three-member tribunal in Dhaka headed by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury sentenced seven aides of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia on Tuesday, convicting them of crimes against humanity including murder and of instigating and provoking killings during the crackdown on the 2024 uprising. Those convicted include former state minister for information and broadcasting Mohammad Ali Arafat and Awami League general secretary Obaidul Quader. Sixty-eight people have been convicted in cases related to the crackdown and 22 have been given death sentences, though only four are currently in custody. Hasina, 78, was sentenced to death in absentia last November for her role in the crackdown. A state-appointed defence lawyer said the seven men were not directly involved in the killings.
Student-led protests over government job quotas erupted in July 2024 and escalated into a nationwide uprising that left hundreds dead. Hasina fled to India in August 2024 after 15 years in power, an interim government took over, and elections followed. Bangladesh's tribunal system, descended from the International Crimes Tribunal used for 1971 war crimes cases, has been used to prosecute those accused of ordering and directing the crackdown. Most of the accused remain outside the country, and India has not extradited Hasina.
The verdicts are part of an unusually rapid accountability process, but their practical reach is limited while most of those convicted are abroad and cannot be arrested. They will shape the political future of the Awami League, which has been marginalised since Hasina's ouster. The cases also weigh on Bangladesh's relations with India, where Hasina remains. For victims' families, the proceedings are the main official reckoning so far with the killings.