Prosecutors in Bangladesh have demanded that former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina be put to death over a deadly crackdown on student-led protests last year that ousted her from power.
Hasina, who has fled to India, is on trial for crimes against humanity. According to a leaked audio clip, she ordered security forces to 'use lethal weapons' against protesters. She denies the charges.
Up to 1,400 people were killed in weeks of unrest that ended Hasina's 15-year rule. It was the worst violence Bangladesh had seen since its 1971 war of independence.
Chief prosecutor Tajul Islam stated that Hasina deserves 1,400 death sentences, indicating that since that is not humanly possible, we demand at least one.
Islam asserted in court, [Hasina's] goal was to cling to power permanently, for herself and her family, adding, She has turned into a hardened criminal and shows no remorse for the brutality she has committed.
The protests began in July 2024 against civil service job quotas for relatives of those who fought in the 1971 war but quickly escalated into a widespread movement to remove Hasina from power.
Some of the bloodiest incidents occurred on August 5, the day Hasina fled by helicopter as crowds stormed her residence in Dhaka. A BBC investigation revealed that police killed at least 52 people that day, marking one of the worst instances of police violence in Bangladesh's history.
Hasina's defense lawyer claims that the police were compelled to open fire in response to violent actions from the protesters.
The trial includes Hasina's ex-interior minister, Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal, and former police chief Chowdhury Abdullah Al-Mamun. Prosecutors are also seeking the death penalty for Kamal, who is hiding. Chowdhury has pleaded guilty but has not yet received a sentence.
Sheikh Hasina has previously been sentenced to six months in prison for contempt of court and is facing separate corruption charges.
As Bangladesh prepares for elections in February, the opposition party BNP is leading the race, while Hasina's party Awami League has been banned from all activities, including electoral participation.
