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In a major ruling delivered in Dhaka, a three-member special tribunal in Bangladesh has sentenced seven prominent political allies of ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in absentia. The capital verdicts were issued over the defendants' involvement in the deadly state-led effort to crush the country's mass public uprising in 2024.
All seven of the condemned men are members of Hasina's political party, the Awami League. The special court convicted them on grave charges of crimes against humanity, which included direct murder as well as actively instigating and provoking lethal violence against civilian demonstrators during the nationwide unrest.
The death sentences were formally pronounced on Tuesday by the judicial panel, which was presided over by Justice Nazrul Islam Chowdhury. The court concluded that the high-ranking party figures bore criminal responsibility for orchestrating and encouraging the harsh response that ultimately failed to preserve Hasina's long-standing rule.
Among the most high-profile figures sentenced to death are Obaidul Quader, the general-secretary of the Awami League, and Mohammad Ali Arafat, who previously served as the state minister for information and broadcasting. Both former officials were specifically convicted of murder and of using their political positions to incite fatal violence against protesters during the demonstrations.
The tribunal also handed down the death penalty to five other influential Awami League figures named in the proceedings. The remaining five convicts were identified as AFM Bahauddin Nasim, Sheikh Fazle Shams Parash, Mainul Hossain Khan Nikhil, Saddam Hussain, and Sheikh Wali Asif Enan, all of whom faced charges of crimes against humanity.
Because none of the seven political figures appeared before the court or surrendered to law enforcement authorities, the entire trial was conducted in absentia. The absence of the defendants reflects the widespread displacement of the former ruling party's leadership following the collapse of Hasina's administration in the wake of the 2024 uprising.
Tuesday's verdicts mark a substantial continuation of broader legal proceedings surrounding the violent events of that year. Across various cases related to the crackdown, a total of 68 individuals have been convicted so far by the judicial authorities. Among those found guilty, 22 have received death sentences, although only four convicted persons are currently held in state custody.
The tribunal's latest decisions follow the prior capital conviction of Sheikh Hasina herself. The 78-year-old former prime minister was sentenced to death by hanging last November on charges of crimes against humanity. That judgment cited her primary responsibility in directing the brutal suppression of the 2024 uprising, which brought an abrupt end to her 15 consecutive years in power.
Following her removal from office, Hasina fled the country and has been living in exile in India. Despite facing execution under the court's prior ruling and remaining a fugitive, the former leader has maintained a defiant posture, stating publicly that she intends to return to Bangladesh by the end of the year in December.
Throughout the legal proceedings, the state-appointed defense lawyer representing the seven political figures, M Hasan Imam, argued against the application of the death penalty. Imam maintained before the court that his clients should not be sentenced to death, asserting that the judicial panel possessed the discretion to hand down lesser punishments.
Explaining his position on the verdicts, Imam argued that the accused officials were not directly engaged in the fatal acts on the ground. The defense lawyer stated that the court had convicted the seven men largely due to the violent actions carried out by their political party's fellow activists and grassroots supporters during the clashes.
Alongside the capital sentences, the three-member tribunal ordered significant financial penalties against several of the convicted individuals. The judicial panel decreed the formal confiscation of half of the personal assets belonging to five of the convicted men, creating a financial pool intended to address the widespread suffering inflicted during the 2024 crackdown.
According to the court's official ruling, the proceeds obtained from the seized assets will be allocated as monetary compensation. These funds are designated for distribution to the families of individuals who were killed during the uprising, as well as to civilian protesters who sustained serious physical injuries during the violent response.
The severe legal measures reflect the immense human cost associated with the suppression of the 2024 movement. According to casualty estimates provided by the United Nations, up to 1,400 people lost their lives during the uprising, while thousands of others suffered injuries as Hasina's state security apparatus and armed party supporters sought to quell the public movement.
The sentencing of Hasina's closest political confidants highlights the ongoing judicial process aimed at addressing the widespread bloodshed that characterized the final weeks of her administration. However, with the vast majority of the condemned figures remaining outside the reach of the authorities, Bangladesh continues to face practical hurdles in enforcing these high-profile capital rulings.
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