Political Turmoil in Bangladesh aftermath the Death Sentence of Hasina.

Advocate Rabindranath Ghosh, lawyer of jailed Bangladesh’s ISKCON priest Chinmoy Krishna Das, stated that the judgment made by the tribunal is “not based on facts and circumstances of the case“, a day after a court awarded a death sentence to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for “crimes against humanity“.

He noted that there should be a cross-examination between the accused’s lawyer and the prosecution in cases involving the death penalty. “I know Sheikh Hasina very much. I know all the political leaders of the country. The judgment made by the tribunal is not based on the facts and circumstances of the case. My humble submission to the appellate court is to scrutinise the matter immediately. In the case of the death penalty, the accused’s lawyer and the prosecution should cross-examine. Without any cross-examination, how is it possible? That has been done because they are the judge“.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs on Monday said that India has taken note of the verdict announced by the “International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh” concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and said that India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh. MEA underlined that India will always engage constructively with all stakeholders. The statement said, “India has noted the verdict announced by the “International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh” concerning former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As a close neighbour, India remains committed to the best interests of the people of Bangladesh, including in peace, democracy, inclusion and stability in that country. We will always engage constructively with all stakeholders to that end“.

A Bangladesh court on Monday afternoon found ousted former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina guilty of committing “crimes against humanity” during the July-August uprising in 2024. Local media reported that the International Crimes Tribunal-1 has sentenced Hasina to death. The tribunal have found the former PM guilty on all five charges of crimes against humanity, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

The Awami league leader, who is currently in exile in India was tried in absentia. The 78-year old leader had fled to New Dehi after the fall of her regime in Dhaka. Hasina responded to the verdict pronounced against her, calling the decision made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate.

In a statement of Hasina shared by the Bangladesh Awami league, responding to the verdict, she said, “The verdicts announced against me have been made by a rigged tribunal established and presided over by an unelected government with no democratic mandate. They are biased and politically motivated. In their distasteful call for the death penalty, they reveal the brazen and murderous intent of extremist figures within the interim government to remove Bangladesh’s last elected prime minister, and to nullify the Awami League as a political force“.

Moreover, Former High Commissioner to Bangladesh Riva Ganguly Das while reacting to the death sentence awarded to former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for “crimes against Humanity” have said that: “I think there was no surprise in the verdict which was given. It was quite expected that this was the way the verdict would go because the whole process has been designed in such a way, and given the political atmosphere in Bangladesh, I think there’s nothing surprising about the verdict. In fact, if she had not been given this verdict, we would have been a little surprised“.

 She also spoke on India’s position with respect to the verdict and noted the “precarious situation” in the wake of incidents of violence reported in the last few days. “We have to watch the situation very carefully. You would have seen that since the verdict was announced, two bulldozers moved in the direction of 32 Dhanmondi, which was where Sheikh Mujibur Rahman was assassinated. Who are these people who are bringing these bulldozers and trying to flatten 32 Dhanmondi. The situation is extremely precarious because for the last few days, many incidents of violence, arson have been reported. I think under this situation, we have to watch very carefully what’s happening in our neighbourhood.”

Meanwhile, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday appealed to India to immediately extradite former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the country’s former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal after both of them were sentenced to death for crimes against humanity related to a crackdown on mass protests last year.

As per a translation of the statement by the Ministry, New Delhi was obliged to do so under an extradition treaty. “In today’s verdict by the International Crimes Tribunal, absconding accused Sheikh Hasina and Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal have been convicted and sentenced for the Jallahi (executioner) murder. If any country gives shelter to these individuals convicted of crimes against humanity, it will be an extremely intolerant act and a disregard for justice. We appeal to the Government of India to immediately hand over these two convicted individuals to the Bangladesh authorities. According to the extradition treaty existing between the two countries, this is also an obligatory duty for India“.

Team Maverick