The International Criminal Tribunal (ICT) on Monday sentenced former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to death in the case of crimes against humanity. Immediately after this decision, the atmosphere in Dhaka worsened. In the capital which was already struggling with violence, Hasina’s supporters and opponents came face to face, due to which ruckus and clashes started in many areas.

Dhanmandi became a conflict zone
As soon as the court’s decision came out, Hasina’s supporters took to the streets in protest and started raising slogans. On the other hand, opposition groups gathered in large numbers and started demanding immediate hanging of Hasina. The violent clash between the two sides took place in ‘Dhanmondi 32’ area of ​​Dhaka when some students of Dhaka College were trying to enter the area with two bulldozers. They were announcing on loudspeaker that after the verdict they would demolish Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s old house. Hasina’s supporters tried to stop her, after which the situation worsened. Police reached the spot and released sound grenades to disperse the crowd and increased the security of the area.

Security tightened at historic Dhanmondi 32
Dhanmondi 32 is the home of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, father of Sheikh Hasina and founder of Bangladesh, which has now been converted into a museum. In view of the possibility of violence, military personnel have been deployed in this area so that the museum can be protected from any kind of damage. Dhanmondi Police Station Operations Officer Abdul Qayyum said that the students who brought the bulldozer were stopped on the main road itself. He said that he was not allowed to enter the restricted area. Even before the announcement of Hasina’s sentence, a large number of supporters had gathered outside Dhanmondi 32 so that no opposition group could damage this house.

Awami League’s bandh, ‘shoot at site’ ordered in the capital
Sheikh Hasina’s banned party Awami League has announced a two-day bandh in protest against the tribunal’s decision. For the last few days, crude bomb blasts have been taking place continuously in Dhaka and surrounding areas. The headquarters of Grameen Bank has also been attacked with a crude bomb. In view of the increasing tension, the interim government has issued orders to shoot at sight. Strict instructions have been given to the security forces to take immediate action against rioters, arsonists and those spreading violence. Despite this, the situation in the capital remains very serious.

Tribunal’s statement – Hasina responsible for thousands of deaths
A three-member bench of the ICT, headed by Justice Golam Murtaza Mojumdar, said Sheikh Hasina had directly ordered the violence to suppress the student movement in July and August last year. He said that during the movement, 1,400 students were killed, about 24,000 people were injured and bombs were dropped on peacefully protesting students. The court says that this widespread violence was carried out on the instructions of Hasina and that she was the “key conspirator” of this entire operation. When the situation worsened during the student movement, Sheikh Hasina came to India and has been living here since then.

Hasina’s emotional message before the verdict
Before the sentencing, Sheikh Hasina issued an audio message to her supporters. In this he rejected all the allegations against him and said that he was not afraid of any punishment. He said that life has been given to him by Allah and taking it back is only the right of Allah.

Bangladesh’s former PM Sheikh Hasina has been found guilty and sentenced to death by the International Crimes Tribunal (ICT). Sheikh Hasina has described this decision as one-sided and politically motivated. The former PM of Bangladesh said, ‘This decision was given without hearing my side. This decision has been given by a tribunal which is being run by an unelected government. He has no mandate from the public. This is completely wrong.

Bangladesh court found Sheikh Hasina guilty

Sheikh Hasina, who has been living in India since the fall of her government on August 5 last year, has been sentenced by the International Criminal Tribunal-Bangladesh (ICT-BD). Earlier the court had declared him a fugitive. Reading out the verdict in court, the tribunal said the prosecution had proved beyond any doubt that Hasina was behind the deadly crackdown on student-led protests between July 15 and August 15 last year.

I was not given a chance to present my side: Sheikh Hasina

A report by the United Nations Human Rights Office estimated that 1,400 people were killed during the nearly month-long movement known as the ‘July Uprising’. Sheikh Hasina said, ‘This decision was decided earlier. I was neither given a chance to present my side nor to be represented by my lawyer. There is nothing international in ICT.

Sheikh Hasina claimed that the tribunal had only prosecuted Awami League members, while ignoring violence allegedly perpetrated by political opponents. Former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan was also sentenced to death, while a former police officer was sentenced to five years in prison after turning approver.

Sheikh Hasina’s allegations against Yunus government

Former PM Hasina said that no respectable or legal person in the world will support Bangladesh ICT. He argued that this court was being used to remove the last elected Prime Minister of Bangladesh and eliminate the Awami League as a political force. He further alleged that Yunus’ forces launched retaliatory attacks across the country and looted hundreds of homes, businesses and properties of Awami League leaders and workers.