Sheikh Hasina Rejects ICT Death Verdict, Calls Tribunal “Rigged” and “Politically Motivated

Dhaka, Nov 2025 : Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has sharply rejected the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT) verdict that sentenced her to death on charges of crimes against humanity, calling the ruling the product of a “rigged tribunal” created by the unelected interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus. In a strongly worded statement released on Monday, the ousted leader accused the interim administration of engineering a politically motivated judgment to eliminate the Awami League from Bangladesh’s political landscape.

The ICT found Hasina guilty in connection with deadly clashes during demonstrations in July last year, concluding that she failed to prevent violence that led to multiple deaths. The verdict was broadcast live on state television, triggering intense reactions across the political spectrum and raising concerns about the fairness of the process.

Hasina condemned the ruling as an attempt to “nullify the Awami League as a political force,” arguing that the interim government had manipulated the tribunal to eliminate its main democratic rival. “In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government,” she said. According to her, the ICT proceedings were designed not to deliver justice but to “distract the world from the failings of Dr Yunus and his ministers.”

She accused the interim administration of presiding over a period of severe social and institutional breakdown. “Under his aegis, public services have collapsed. Police have retreated from crime-ridden streets, judicial fairness has been subverted, minorities are assaulted, and women’s rights suppressed,” she alleged. Hasina also claimed that Islamist factions, including elements from Hizb-ut-Tahrir, had gained influence within the interim government, undermining the country’s long-standing secular fabric.

The former prime minister strongly denied ordering any violence during the 2025 protests, insisting that she mourned the loss of lives on all sides. “Neither I nor any political leaders instructed the killing of protesters,” she stated. She reiterated her willingness to face a legitimate judicial process and challenged the interim government to bring the charges before the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague. “They will not accept this challenge because they know the ICC would acquit me—and expose their own human-rights record,” she said.

Hasina’s remarks are expected to intensify the already volatile political climate in Bangladesh, which has witnessed widespread unrest, mass arrests, and severe restrictions on political activities since the interim administration took office. The government has yet to formally respond to her allegations.

As the international community watches closely, the ICT verdict and Hasina’s defiant response have plunged Bangladesh further into political uncertainty, raising questions about due process, democratic legitimacy, and the country’s immediate future.