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Today, November 17, 2025, Bangladesh stopped breathing for a few hours. In a packed courtroom in Dhaka, a judge looked straight at the camera and said the words millions had waited to hear: “Death sentence for Sheikh Hasina.” The former prime minister, once the most powerful woman in the country, is now a convicted criminal hiding in India. Cheers exploded inside the court. Tears rolled down the faces of mothers who lost their sons last year. Outside, the streets were strangely empty – fear and hope mixed together.
What Really Happened Last Year?
It all started in July 2024 with simple student protests against job quotas. Students wanted fair chances in government jobs. But the police opened fire. Helicopters flew low. Drones circled above. Bullets rained on unarmed young people. By August, more than 1,400 lay dead, say United Nations reports. Thousands more were wounded. The anger grew so big that on August 5, Sheikh Hasina fled to India in a military helicopter. Her 15-year rule ended in one day.
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The Five Big Charges Against Her
The International Crimes Tribunal listed five clear charges:
- She gave hate speeches and called students “Razakars” – a word that insults freedom fighters’ children.
- She personally ordered helicopters, drones and live bullets on crowds.
- Police shot student Abu Sayeed in Rangpur on her watch; doctors were forced to change his death report.
- Six students were killed in Chankharpul, Dhaka.
- In Ashulia, six more were shot and their bodies burned – one was burned alive.
The court said she was the boss. She could have stopped the killing. She did not. Instead, she gave direct orders.
Who Got What Punishment?
- Sheikh Hasina – Death sentence
- Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal – Death sentence
- Former Police Chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun – Only 5 years in jail (he admitted guilt and helped the court)
Hasina and Kamal never came to court. The judge said staying away is like admitting guilt.
Tears, Cheers and Angry Crowds
When the judge finished reading, people inside the court clapped and cried at the same time. Mothers held photos of their dead children. One father said, “Hang her a thousand times – it still won’t bring my son back.” Another mother shouted, “Bring her from India and hang her in public so no dictator rises again.”
Big screens were put up across Dhaka. At Dhaka University, students hugged each other. One student who lost an eye last year said, “No dictator can ever rise again.”
Hasina’s Family and Party Fight Back
From India, Hasina sent messages to her supporters. She called the court a “kangaroo court” and said, “God gave me life, only God can take it.” Her son Sajeeb Wazed told reporters, “We knew they would give death sentence. But my mother is safe in India. Nothing will happen to her.”
Awami League leaders called the verdict “fake justice” and warned the country is moving toward radical groups. Some said people will throw this judgment “into the Bay of Bengal.”
Dhaka Turns into a Ghost City
Today the capital looked empty. Buses stayed parked. Shops stayed shut. The Awami League had called for a country-wide shutdown. Police gave “shoot on sight” orders after many buses were burned and crude bombs exploded in the last week.
Soldiers, border guards and police stood everywhere. Even bulldozers appeared outside Hasina’s family home at Dhanmondi 32. Police used sound grenades to push crowds back.
A Court She Built Now Judges Her
Here is the biggest twist: this same tribunal was started by Sheikh Hasina in 2010 to punish 1971 war criminals. For years she used it against her enemies. Now the same court has turned against her.
What Happens Next?
Bangladesh plans to ask Interpol for a red notice. They will again ask India to send her back. But India has already said no before. Many believe she will never return.
Families of the dead say they will keep protesting until she faces punishment on Bangladeshi soil. Students promise the fight is not over.
Today, Bangladesh took one big step toward justice. But the road ahead looks long and uncertain.
FAQs
- Why did the court give death sentence to Sheikh Hasina? The court found her guilty of ordering police to shoot and kill protesters in July-August 2024. Over 1,400 people died.
- Where is Sheikh Hasina right now? She lives in New Delhi, India, under full protection of the Indian government since August 5, 2024.
- Can Bangladesh bring her back? Bangladesh will try through Interpol and by asking India again, but India has refused earlier requests.
- Who else got punished? Former Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal also got death sentence. Former police chief got only 5 years because he admitted guilt.
- Was the trial fair? The interim government says yes – everything was open and on TV. Hasina’s side calls it a fake, pre-decided trial.
- Will this verdict change Bangladesh? Many young people hope it stops future dictators. Others fear more fighting between Hasina supporters and the new government.